The Cerro de los Ángeles will host the special premiere in Spain of “Sagrado Corazón” next Thursday, September 10, the French docu-fiction about devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that has drawn more than 500,000 viewers in France. The screening will take place one day before its arrival in Spanish theaters, scheduled for Friday, September 11, distributed by Bosco Films.
According to an announcement by the Diocese of Getafe, the film will be shown at 8:30 p.m. on a giant screen set up in the plaza of the Cerro de los Ángeles, with doors opening at 8:00 p.m. Afterward, there will be a discussion with the film’s directors, Sabrina and Steven J. Gunnell, who will be present to share their testimony and explain the origin of the project.
A premiere at the site where Spain was consecrated to the Sacred Heart
The choice of the Cerro de los Ángeles for this presentation is closely tied to the history of devotion to the Sacred Heart in Spain.
In 1919, Alfonso XIII consecrated Spain to the Sacred Heart of Jesus before the monument erected on the Cerro de los Ángeles in Getafe (Community of Madrid). A century later, in 2019, the Spanish Church renewed that consecration during a celebration presided over by the then Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Carlos Osoro.
The film will reach Spanish theaters the day after the special screening, on Friday, September 11.
The apparitions to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque
Directed by the French filmmakers Sabrina and Steven J. Gunnell and produced by Krea Film-Makers, “Sagrado Corazón” is a one-hour-and-thirty-five-minute docu-fiction that combines cinematic reenactments with contemporary testimonies.
The starting point is the apparitions of Jesus Christ to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, a religious of the Visitation Order, which occurred between 1673 and 1675 in Paray-le-Monial, France. In them, Christ showed His Heart to the nun, revelations that decisively contributed to spreading this devotion throughout the Church.
The film then brings the story to the present day through about twenty testimonies from people with very different backgrounds, marked by experiences of suffering, spiritual searching, and conversion.
“This film is an act of love and an act of faith,” explains Steven Gunnell. The director links the purpose of the film to the Gospel episode of the disciples on the road to Emmaus: “We were thinking of the pilgrims of Emmaus, who walk alongside a stranger and, after listening to Him, say to one another: ‘Were not our hearts burning within us?’ That is the project of the film: to allow each person to experience this burning love of Jesus.”
Sabrina Gunnell, for her part, explains that the filmmakers’ intention was to convey to the audience that “they are deeply loved.”
“Many thought that talking about the apparitions of the 17th century was something distant or outdated. But precisely what we wanted to show is that this message remains current: a Heart burning with love that continues to give itself today to the world,” the director points out.
From an experience at a French shrine to movie theaters
The project began to take shape in 2023, after an experience the Gunnells had during a gathering at Notre-Dame-du-Laus, a Marian shrine located in the French Alps. There they encountered testimonies from people consecrated to the Heart of Jesus that led them to consider making a film about the enduring relevance of this devotion.
From that experience, they developed a production that alternates the story of the apparitions in Paray-le-Monial with contemporary stories.
Before its premiere in Spain, “Sagrado Corazón” has received an unusual reception for a religious-themed film production. According to data released by the distributor and reported by the Diocese of Getafe, more than 500,000 viewers have seen it in France, around 300,000 in Poland, 100,000 in the United States, and 70,000 in Italy. These figures had already accompanied the announcement of the Spanish release made last June.
Bosco Films, the Spanish distributor of productions such as “Libres” and “Vivo,” will be responsible for bringing the film to Spanish theaters starting September 11. The previous day’s presentation at the Cerro de los Ángeles, with Sabrina and Steven J. Gunnell, will thus serve as a prelude to its commercial release in Spain.