God Laughs

Set in the 17th century, this comedy-drama follows Friar Leopoldo da Casamacchia, who shares the Gospel with an unconventional sense of joy. By speaking directly to the people about a compassionate and relatable God rather than using the traditional Latin of the Church, he attracts massive crowds and leaves established churches empty. His popularity draws the attention of the Pope in Rome, who assigns Cardinal Maculani, a powerful inquisitor, to handle the matter. The resulting legal trial evolves into a psychological clash that challenges the rigid beliefs of the authorities and introduces doubt into the minds of those judging the friar.

The upcoming Italian film is directed by Giovanni Veronesi, following his previous work on Manual of Love 2, The Ages of Love, and Romeo Is Juliet. Veronesi also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Nicola Baldoni and Gianluca Bernardini. The production was a collaboration between Netflix, Indiana Production, PiperFilm, and Ogi Film. The cast features Pierfrancesco Favino in the lead role as Friar Leopoldo da Casamacchia and Carlo Cecchi as Pope Innocent X. The movie has a runtime of 114 minutes and is scheduled for release on October 29, 2026.