Vatican to Host World Premiere of "The Nativity Story"

On Sunday, November 26th, New Line Cinema’s The Nativity Story will become the first feature film ever to premiere at the Vatican. The Nativity Story is scheduled for a Dec. 1, 2006 release in the U.S., and will open in territories worldwide throughout the month of December.

The premiere, to be held at the Vatican’s Aulo Paolo VI (Pope Paul VI Hall), will be attended by The Nativity Story ’s director Catherine Hardwicke, actors Shohreh Aghdashloo and Oscar Isaac, producers Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, screenwriter Mike Rich, and 7,000 invited guests of the Vatican. The event will serve as a benefit, with contributions going toward construction of a school in the village of Mughar, Israel - which has a diverse population of Christians, Muslims, and Druze and is located approximately 40 kilometers from Nazareth.

"We are very proud of The Nativity Story and extremely grateful that the Vatican has embraced the film in this way," said New Line’s President Rolf Mittweg. "We believe it is the perfect venue to present the film’s universal message of hope and faith, a message we are sure will resonate around the world."

" The Nativity Story is an extraordinary event, and this premiere is a fitting way to reach out to our community and share the experience," said Stefano Dammicco, CEO of Eagle Pictures, the film’s Italian distributor. "It is a privilege for Eagle Pictures to be New Line’s Italian partner on the film."

The event has been made possible due to the collaboration of the Pontifical Council for Culture, the Pontifical Council for Social Communication, the Vatican Film Library, the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" (for Human and Christian Development), the Vicariate of Vatican City State, and the Foundation for Sacred Art and Music.