Oculus-Spei

Oculus-Spei is an inspirational short documentary inspired by the XXV Jubilee and dedicated to the memory of Pope Francis. Directed by Annalaura di Luggo, the film reinterprets the ritual of the opening of the Holy Doors through a multimedia lens, capturing the emotional and symbolic power of her immersive installation, Oculus-Spei.

Presented inside the Pantheon in Rome from December 2024 to March 2025 — under patronage of the 2025 Jubilee and the Italian Ministries of Culture, Foreign Affairs, and Justice — the installation was experienced by over two million visitors.

Oculus-Spei connects the divine light of the Oculus to five interactive Holy Doors.

Four virtual doors reproduce Papal Basilicas (St. Peter’s, St. Mary Major, St. Paul Outside the Walls, St. John Lateran), inviting visitors to symbolically knock and enter dialogue with people with disabilities worldwide, each illuminated and transfigured by light.

The fifth door, inspired by Rebibbia Prison and opened by Pope Francis as an additional Holy Door, introduces an interactive gesture-recognition system that lets visitors see themselves behind virtual bars — a metaphor for personal limitations and existential struggles. A ray of light breaks barriers, transforming the experience into one of liberation and spiritual awakening.

The documentary interweaves Holy Doors opening with reflections and interviews of pilgrims, people with disabilities, religious leaders, and cultural figures, exploring hope’s transformative power.

With a soundscape inspired by sacred texts performed by soprano Ekaterina Shelehova, Oculus-Spei becomes a cinematic journey where art, spirituality, human connection and technology converge, embodying the Jubilee’s universal message: Pilgrims of Hope.