Pope Joan
Brief Synopsis
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The story of a Pope John Anglicus, who ruled the Catholic Church from 855-857, disguising the fact that he was a she. Pope Joan, an educated woman from Athens who was reportedly traveling as a man for safety reasons, became involved in local religion and politics before being made Cardinal and then
Cast & Crew
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Sönke Wortmann
Director
Johanna Wokalek
Ellie Kemish
John Goodman
David Wenham
Edward Petherbridge
Film Details
Also Known As
Die Paepstin, Die Päpstin, La papessa, La papisa, Paepstin, Päpstin, Påven Johanna, papessa, papisa
Genre
Adaptation
Biography
Drama
Foreign
Historical
Period
Religion
Release Date
2009
Production Company
Ard; Bazuca; Constantin Film Development, Inc.; Contender Entertainment; Film und Medienstiftung NRW; Filmfernsehfonds Bayern; German Federal Film Board; Ikiru Films; Les Films Séville; Les Films Séville; Medusa Film; Medusa Film; Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung; Nordisk Film; Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution Oy; Nordisk Film Tv; Summit Entertainment, Llc
Distribution Company
Acme Film; Cine; Cines Unidos; Constantin Film Development, Inc.; Distribution Company; Gulf Film, Llc; Kinepolis Film Distribution; Monopole Pathe Films Ag; Nu-Metro; Odeon S.A.; RCV Distribution; Scanbox Entertainment; Shaw Organization; Sony Pictures Releasing International; ZON Lusomundo (now part of NOS Audiovisuals)
Location
Morocco; Germany
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 28m
Synopsis
The story of a Pope John Anglicus, who ruled the Catholic Church from 855-857, disguising the fact that he was a she. Pope Joan, an educated woman from Athens who was reportedly traveling as a man for safety reasons, became involved in local religion and politics before being made Cardinal and then Pope. Her gender was allegedly discovered when she went into labor while in church.
Director
Sönke Wortmann
Director
Cast
Johanna Wokalek
Ellie Kemish
John Goodman
David Wenham
Edward Petherbridge
Anatole Taubman
Tigerlily Hutchinson
Lotte Flack
Oliver Cotton
Nicholas Woodeson
Suzanne Bertish
Branko Tomovic
Lenn Kudrjawizki
Ian Gelder
Gerald Alexander Held
Claudia Michelsen
Marc Bischoff
Alberto Cracco
Giorgio Lupano
Oliver Nagele
Crew
Faruk Alatan
Coproducer
Marcel Barsotti
Original Music
Oliver Berben
Producer
Stefan Busch
Supervising Sound Editor
Donna Woolfolk Cross
Source Material
Andrew Davies
Screenplay
Anja Dihrberg
Casting Director
Tom Fahrmann
Dp/Cinematographer
Tom Fahrmann
Director Of Photography
Hans Funck
Editor
Heinrich Hadding
Screenplay
Doris Heinze
Coproducer
Michael Hirst
Screenplay
Frank Kusche
Assistant Director
Bernd Lepel
Production Designer
Martin Moszkowicz
Producer
Edmon Roch
Coproducer
Norbert Sauer
Coproducer
Uwe Szielasko
Art Director
Silvia Tollmann
Line Producer
Esther Walz
Costume Designer
Herman Weigel
Coproducer
Toby Whale
Casting Director
Johannes Wild
Set Decorator
Sönke Wortmann
Screenplay
Film Details
Also Known As
Die Paepstin, Die Päpstin, La papessa, La papisa, Paepstin, Päpstin, Påven Johanna, papessa, papisa
Genre
Adaptation
Biography
Drama
Foreign
Historical
Period
Religion
Release Date
2009
Production Company
Ard; Bazuca; Constantin Film Development, Inc.; Contender Entertainment; Film und Medienstiftung NRW; Filmfernsehfonds Bayern; German Federal Film Board; Ikiru Films; Les Films Séville; Les Films Séville; Medusa Film; Medusa Film; Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung; Nordisk Film; Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution Oy; Nordisk Film Tv; Summit Entertainment, Llc
Distribution Company
Acme Film; Cine; Cines Unidos; Constantin Film Development, Inc.; Distribution Company; Gulf Film, Llc; Kinepolis Film Distribution; Monopole Pathe Films Ag; Nu-Metro; Odeon S.A.; RCV Distribution; Scanbox Entertainment; Shaw Organization; Sony Pictures Releasing International; ZON Lusomundo (now part of NOS Audiovisuals)
Location
Morocco; Germany
Technical Specs
Duration
2h 28m
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Based on the novel "Pope Joan" by Donna Woolfold Cross and published by Crown Press September 18, 1996.
Franka Potente was previously attached to star.
Volker Schlondorff previously attached to direct.
Project was on hold due to actor John Goodman defaulting on an agreement to star in the picture, resulting in Constantin filing a $3 million lawsuit.
