Brother Sun, Sister Moon

After returning from war, Francesco Bernardone lies in a feverish haze and revisits his earlier life full of revelry and outward charm. The fever clears enough for him to recognize how far he has strayed from the values his family and town expect. Rather than chasing tavern games and worldly pleasures, he begins to notice the beauty around him in birds, rivers, and fields. This shift signals a radical turn in his path: wealth and status lose their hold, and a vow to repair an abandoned chapel takes root in his thoughts. He begins to live simply, dedicating his days to prayer and service. Memories steer him toward acts of charity and a renewed purpose as he pursues the rebuilding of an abandoned church.

The production emphasizes lush period detail, with glorious locations and elaborate costumes that frame the saint's early awakening. It was released in 1972 and directed by Franco Zeffirelli, with a screenplay by Lina Wertmüller and Suso Cecchi d'Amico, and historical detail.

Critics often note the film's lush visual style and restrained realism, using color and landscape to evoke spiritual awakening. The story centers on renunciation, humility, and a rebirth through nature, away from commerce and status toward service and simplicity. Many viewers describe a contemplative mood that lingers after the credits.

The film's striking imagery and Zeffirelli's approach to sacred cinema helped shape later religious epics and art house pairings of devotion with visual poetry. Its aesthetic left a mark on how period religious figures are staged on screen, balancing reverence with theatrical spectacle. Its influence echoes in festival circuits worldwide.

Box office data for Brother Sun, Sister Moon is not widely published; the film carried a production budget of 3 million, and its worldwide gross is not prominently documented, suggesting a modest commercial footprint compared with contemporaries.