Directed by Renaud Fely and Arnaud Louvet in 2016, The Brotherhood: A Life with Saint Francis is a Franco–Italian–Belgian co-production depicting Saint Francis of Assisi as he struggles to draft his Rule and to realise his spiritual vision. It was shot in France and Umbria, with a mostly Italian cast.
The central theme is the tension between Francis’s spiritual inspiration and the pragmatic approach of his close friend Elias of Cortona, who mediates relations with the papacy. Although bound by deep friendship, their relationship becomes strained by ideological differences. In 1209, after the refusal of Pope Innocent III to approve the first version of the Rule, Francis seeks new inspiration while the growing brotherhood questions its future. Elias manages negotiations with the Church, while Francis tries to reconcile the brothers’ demands with his radical ideal of poverty and love for God. The film portrays his inner conflict between ideals and compromise, and between spiritual fidelity and the need to preserve both the unity of the community and his closest friendships.