Abuna Messias - Vendetta africana (1939)
1h 36m
Running Time
August 30, 1939Release Date
Abuna Messias - Vendetta africana (1939)
1h 36m
Running Time
August 30, 1939Release Date
Plot.
The film takes place at the end of the 19th century. The Cardinal Guglielmo Massaia has spent 20 years in Ethiopia to convert people to the Catholic Church. He comes back to Italy and he tries to get the help of the government of Piedmont. The Count Cavour, although he appreciates the Cardinal's deeds in Africa, cannot grant his Cabinet's support to the Cardinal's plans. The missionary man, trusting the Divine Providence, goes back to Africa by himself. The Cardinal, who is known among the people as Abuna Messias, becomes a friend of king Menelik. The support of the king is fundamental to spread his word and accomplish his mission. The Head of the Coptic Church, Abuna Attanasio, does whatever he can to prevent Massaia from reaching his goals and to get him exiled from Ethiopia. Menelik refuses to help Abuna Attanasio, who decides to address the Emperor, thus igniting a war between the Emperor and his subject Menelik. In order to end the war, the Cardinal decides to leave Africa.
Where to Watch.
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Cast & Crew.
Camillo Pilotto
Il cardinale Guglielmo Massaia, detto "Abuna Messias"
Enrico Glori
Il re Menelik
Mario Ferrari
Abuna Atanasio
Amedeo Trilli
Ghebrà Selassié, il consigliere di Alem
Goffredo Alessandrini
Director
Luigi Bernardi
Writer
Franz Sala
Il marchese Antinori
Vittorio Cottafavi
Writer
Roberto Pasetti
Padre Leone
Cesare Lodovici
Writer
Michael
Morka
Cesare Ludovici
Writer
Domenico Meccoli
Writer
Abd-el-Uad
Abu Beker, il capo indigeno
Callisto V. Vanzin
Writer
Alessandro F. Gagna
Producer
Details.
Wiki.
Cardinal Messias (Italian: Abuna Messias) is a 1939 Italian historical drama film directed by Goffredo Alessandrini and starring Camillo Pilotto, Enrico Glori and Mario Ferrari. The film was awarded the Mussolini Cup at the 1939 Venice film festival. It portrays the life of Guglielmo Massaia, a nineteenth-century Italian known for his missionary work in the Ethiopian Empire.