New biopic on St. Anthony Mary Claret coming to theaters in August

A new feature film on St. Anthony Mary Claret, Slaves and Kings, is coming to theaters for a limited release on August 22 and 23. The release is the latest from Fathom Events and Bosco Films, which recently brought us the hit film on the importance of the Eucharistic Revival, Alive: Who is there?

Set in the 19th century, Slaves and Kings follows the life and works of the founder of the religious congregation of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, also known as the Claretians. St. Anthony rose from the humble position of a missionary priest to become Archbishop of Santiago, Cuba, and would serve as confessor to Isabella II of Spain. 

Among his Catholic works, St. Anthony is recognized for writing 144 books and is also credited with greatly contributing to the revival of the Catalan language. He is remembered for his fierce defense of the dignity and rights of all people, his determination as an educator, and his staunch faith in the face of religious tensions.

Pablo Moreno, director of Slaves and Kings, commented on the saint in a press release: 

“St. Anthony Mary Claret is a man for our times. Claret gave everything he had to defend the truth – he is an apostle, an intellectual, a missionary and a saint. There are elements of Claret’s spirituality that are very relevant today: his fight against slavery, against racism; his desire to educate people, to enlighten them in the midst of circumstances such as those of the 19th century -which coincidently seems to me to have parallels with our times and circumstances today.” 

The preview alone has us excited to see the feature film. The brilliant cinematography is supported by excellent set design and beautiful period costumes. The costumes are especially noticeable once Anthony makes his way to the Spanish court, where Queen Isabella II can be seen in an outstanding gown, sitting in a perfectly ornamented palace suite. 

The film will address a hoax that was discovered by José Martínez Ruiz, a Spanish writer and intellectual who wrote under the pseudonym Azorin, in the 1930s. Ruiz found that aspects of St. Anthony’s recorded life had been adulterated after his death. The movie will depict Ruiz’s investigation, which uncovered the real deeds of the Catholic saint. 

Fathom Events notes that Slaves and Kings will come to theaters worldwide on August 22 and 23. The first night will present the English language version of the film, fully dubbed, and the following day will present the Spanish version. For a complete list of participating theaters near you, visit Fathom Events.