Fiumicino, 9 April 2025 - Starting today at the boarding area A in Terminal 1 of Rome Fiumicino Airport, passengers will have the chance to enjoy nine minutes of a short film entitled ‘The Last Supper: The Living Tableau’ by American director Acosta, dedicated to Leonardo Da Vinci’s genius. The installation is part of ADR's Jubilee initiatives, under the patronage of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, Section for Fundamental Questions regarding Evangelization in the World, led by H.E. Archbishop Rino Fisichella.

Produced by the Academy of film & the Arts, it features three Italian Oscar winners: Vittorio Storaro (Photography), Dante Ferretti (Production Designer) and Francesca Lo Schiavo (Set Design). Thanks to the collective ingeniousness, all the details of the mural painting (1494-1498), located in the refectory of the Santa Maria delle Grazie convent in Milan, have been faithfully reconstructed and the transcendent light and transformative essence of the most illustrious meeting in history, the last meal Jesus shared with the Apostles before his Crucifixion, have been captured. The living portrait is filmed in ‘extreme slow motion’ with chiaroscuro photography suggesting the viewer the quietest contemplation, accompanied by Rossini's Stabat Mater and Pavarotti's voice. 

An accurate cinematic rewriting of The Last Supper, ‘The Living Tableau’ premiered in 2019 as part of the global celebration of the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death, to commemorate his timeless influence on both art and life

Inaugurated in the presence of H.E. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Mayor of Fiumicino Mario Baccini, ENAV’s Chairwoman Alessandra Bruni, ADR Chairman Vincenzo Nunziata, Director Armondo Linus Acosta and Oscar winners Francesca Lo Schiavo and Dante Ferretti, the work unveiled today aims to revive the mystical power of the iconic 15th-century work, still imbued with all its spiritual force, for the 21st-century public. The goal of this work is to inspire everyone to reflect on both the divine and personal self-fulfilment.

His Excellency Archbishop Rino Fisichella stated: ‘The short film “The Last Supper: The Living Tableau” fits perfectly into the context of the Jubilee, which focuses not only on spirituality but also on culture and art as expressions of beauty and sources of hope. By welcoming pilgrims, Aeroporti di Roma bears witness to this vision and offers an experience that combines faith, art and reflection, enriching the spiritual journey of every visitor. An airport that we hope will soon begin its growth and the significant development awaited, so that it can maintain the standards it has already accustomed us to and be up to the ever-increasing flows that will arrive in the Capital of Italy and Christianity from now on’.

‘With this initiative, promoted on the occasion of the Jubilee Year, we confirm that not only do we want our infrastructure to be at the service of mobility, but also a living space of culture, beauty and meaning: a place capable of accompanying every passenger on their journey, offering high quality service and five-star safety standards. In order to maintain these levels of excellence in the face of the increase in passenger flows expected from here on, being able to invest in the development of the airport is key’, commented ADR Chairman Vincenzo Nunziata.

‘Bringing Leonardo's masterpiece to life has been one of my greatest pleasures in life. My hope is that the grandeur of the concept bringing the apostolic principle to life will inspire those who can bring the very love and peace that is so much needed in today's world’, Acosta commented. 'Having been born a Catholic and having studied the depths of the catechism, I truly believe that the Catholic community will be reminded of the divine truth that God dwells within you as you do’.

With this initiative, Aeroporti di Roma confirms its desire to celebrate art in all its expressions, elevating the airport from a simple transit point to a place of culture and beauty – a strategy that, together with innovation and the quality of the service offered to passengers, has recently granted ‘Leonardo da Vinci’ Airport the title of Europe's Best Airport for the eighth consecutive year in 2024, in the category of hubs with more than 40 million passengers per year.