Vatican backs 39-minute documentary Green Lava for 2027 Academy Award entry

First Oscar campaign for a Vatican production

The Vatican is preparing its first submission for the Academy Awards in the 97-year history of the competition. The short documentary Green Lava is set to compete for a nomination in the Best Documentary Short Film category. The project was developed as a collaboration between the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, Vatican News, Radio Vaticana, and Vatican Media, working alongside the independent Italian production company Emotions to Generate Change. Although Vatican media entities directly co-produced the 39-minute film, the title does not serve as a formal state representative of Vatican City. Academy rules for short documentaries do not require official government selection or endorsement by a designated national committee, which distinguishes the category from the regulations governing the Best International Feature Film award.

Life and community in the Dolomites

The documentary centers on Giacomo Mattivi, a young Italian man living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive muscular weakness and degeneration. The narrative follows Giacomo as he reorganizes his daily life following the loss of his brother Mattia, who died from the identical genetic condition. Set against the mountain backdrop of the Dolomites in northern Italy, the film documents how Giacomo faces the physical constraints of his diagnosis while finding support within his alpine village community and the surrounding natural landscape. The production was directed jointly by filmmakers Lia Beltrami and Ali Aksu, with Beltrami living in the same village as the Mattivi family. Beltrami noted that residents in the Dolomites exhibit deep care for their neighbours, expressing hope that the film will encourage global audiences to treat individuals facing similar physical adversity with openness and consideration.

Vatican screenings and official support

The path toward international recognition began with an initial private screening of Green Lava hosted inside the Vatican at the Augustinianum in Rome in January 2025. Giacomo attended that private event alongside members of his family and close friends to view the completed work. Paolo Ruffini, the prefect leading the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, outlined the Holy See's backing of the project during an interview with Variety.

“The story of Giacomo deserves to be seen by everyone, and that is why we are thrilled about the possibility of including Green Lava in the selection process for the Oscars.”

The statement confirmed the Vatican's direct involvement in supporting the documentary through the multi-stage Academy evaluation process.

Theatrical qualification and Academy schedule

Before the production team can formally file an entry with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the documentary must satisfy standard commercial exhibition criteria in the United States. Green Lava is scheduled to complete a qualifying theatrical run from 18 September to 24 September 2026 at the Lumiere Music Hall in Beverly Hills, California. A spokesperson for the production confirmed to Variety that the team will submit all formal Oscar application paperwork immediately following the end of this seven-day screening window. The Academy is expected to announce the final nominations in January 2027. The 99th Academy Awards ceremony will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on 14 March 2027.