POPE MOVIE HITS THE VATICAN

A film that follows the life of the late POPE JOHN PAUL II has premiered in Vatican City - just two weeks after the Catholic leader died (02APR05).

KAROL: THE MAN WHO BECAME POPE charts the life of the late pontiff, whose real name was KAROL WOJTYLA, from his childhood in Poland to becoming a much-loved Pope.

The first of the movie's two parts will screen on Italian television screens tomorrow (18APR05), the date cardinals are set to elect Wojtyla's successor.

Polish actor PIOTR ADAMCZYK, who plays the title role, is concentrating on the essence of Wojtyla's character as opposed to studying his physical attributes.

He says, "We were trying not to copy Karol Wojtyla. Not to copy his gestures, his voice - but to give symbols to try to touch the fragments of his great personality."

Before he died, the Catholic leader had been aware the film was in production, but had told Adamczyk, "You're crazy to make a film about me. What did I ever do?"

Pope John Paul II died on 2 April (05) aged 84.