Director: Sönke Wortmann
Writer: Donna Woolfolk Cross (novel), Heinrich Hadding (screenplay)
Genre: History/Drama
Country: Germany/UK/Italy/Spain
Runtime: 149 min
Awards: 5 nominations - Bavarian Movie Award (2009); German Movie Award (Lola): Best supporting actress (Jördis Triebel), Best decor, Best costumes, Best sound;
5 wins: 'Jupiter' (The biggest German movie magazine 'Cinema' Award) (2010) - Best national director, Best national actress; Ojai Film Festival (California, USA) - Best Feature Film (2010), Park City Film Music Festival (Utah, USA) - Best Movie Soundtrack (2010), Moondance Film Festival - Best Feature Film (2010)
Since thousand of years already a figure having come from ancient times of the dark Middle Ages, from times of horrific ignorance, fanatical cruelty and male tyranny has been excited the minds of historians and writers and now also cinematographers - a legendary Pope Joan.
Through very different interpretations and commentaries of the legend a wonderful woman is looking at us, a woman, who pretended herself as a man, in order to realize her dreams and to keep self-respect. But this strange choice didn't destroy a woman inside her! A great intellect, energy and a power in addition to men's clothes will brought Joan to an unbelievable success, but a woman's fragility and sensuality ruined herЕ The charisma triumphed, but the nature overcame. Well... A very sad history.
The project was based on a bestseller of the same name written by an American writer Donna Woolfolk Cross published 1997. The book has a tremendous success among readers. Besides Mrs. Cross presented Joan the most romantic lover than all other authors having written on this topic had done - a noble, handsome, nearly fairy-like knight named Gerold... We bless her for her kindness!!!
According to the writer a red-bearded, blue-eyed handsome Wenham playing knight Gerold "looks exactly like he got up off the pages" of her book...Can we imagine the most praise?
Cast:
Johanna Wokalek ...Johanna von Ingelheim David Wenham ...Gerold
John Goodman ... Pope Sergius
Iain Glen ...Village Priest
Jördis Triebel ...Gudrun
Anatole Taubman ...Anastasius
Lotte Flack ...Johanna von Ingelheim - Age 10-14
Tigerlily Hutchinson ...Pope Joan - age 6-9
Claudia Michelsen ...Richilde
Ellie Kemish ...Gisele
Isabel Bongard ...Gisele Age 15
Sandro Lohmann ...Matthew
Jan-Hendrik Kiefer ...John
Edward Petherbridge ...Aesculapius
Nicholas Woodeson ...Arighis
Oliver Cotton ...Arsenius
Gerald Alexander Held ...Lothar
Marian Meder ...Arn
Kristina Karst ...Bona
Oliver Nägele ...Fulgentius
Frank Kessler ...King of the Normanns
Suzanne Bertish ...Bishop Arnaldo
Branko Tomovic ...Paschal
Lenn Kudrjawizki ...Jordanes
Richard van Weyden ...Eusthasius
2009