Directed by Sönke Wortmann
Staring Johanna Wokalek, David Wenham and John Goodman
Rated MA
Score 6/6

A 9th century woman of English extraction born in the German city of Ingelheim disguises herself as a man and rises through the Vatican ranks.

The movie Pope Joan is based on a novel written by American author Donna Woolfolk Cross. Having never read the never read the novel or for that matter even heard of it due to something one of my History teachers in college said, she said that when she was younger she thought it was younger that it was interesting that it was interesting that she shared her name with a pope.
The film itself is epic in nature and it has all of the good stuff that you would expect from a period piece amazing cinematography, a love story, brilliant acting by all involved especially by German actress Johanna Wokalek and Australia’s own David Wenham. Oh yes do not worry there is even a small amount of sword play.
For those of you who cannot let a good story get in the way of historical fact there is a lot of conjecture as to whether or not Pope Joan actually existed at all. There is a large opinion that there is no evidence that she existed at all and the idea that there ever was a female Pope was a satirical joke against some of the more effeminate Popes though out history. It is portrayed in the film she become Pope after the reign of Pope Sergius II. However, if you look to the History books Pope Sergius II was succeeded by Pope Leo IV.