index.htm
 


Please fill in the form below to
add yourself to the Pope Joan map!

We need your first name and your location.
If you'd like to leave a comment, please do. 

Comments:  Tell us in 1-2 sentences why you hope the Pope Joan movie will open in your town, who you will go to see the movie with, and/or why you find Pope Joan's story appealing.  Any little tidbit is helpful!

Do you live outside the U.S.?  Link here for a special note.

We value your privacy. Only your first name, location and comment will be posted.  No email addresses or contact information is being collected.

Please note:  This information will not appear online immediately.  Please check back to see the map in a few days.

First Name:
 
City or Town, and U.S. State:

Comments:
No more than 1-2 sentences, please! Do you hope to see the Pope Joan movie? How many friends will go with you? Did you enjoy reading Pope Joan?

Problem using this form?  Link here.

Do you live outside the United States?

I appreciate all of my wonderful fans across the world and I have corresponded with many of you.  However, the purpose behind this map is to encourage U.S. movie distributors to open Pope Joan in as many theaters across the United States as possible.

Why is there a potential problem with the movie opening broadly in the United States?

Constantin Film was disappointed by the U.S. turnout for “Perfume” (a hit in Europe). So Constantin is understandably concerned that “Pope Joan”, another period piece set in Europe, may have a similar result in the U.S.

What this could mean: a limited-theater release in the U.S.

My argument: the poor performance of “Perfume” is not a good predictor of U.S. audiences for “Pope Joan”. True, both films are set in long-ago Europe, but these stories are fundamentally different:

1. “Perfume” is the story of a murderer with an extraordinary sense of smell who kills young women, shaving the hair and sweat off their bodies and combining them to create an irresistible scent that makes him all-powerful. In the end, the anti-hero pours this perfume over himself and is cannibalized by a frenzied crowd.

2. “Pope Joan” is the story of woman’s empowerment through learning-- of Joan’s personal triumph over the social obstacles of her day. Though Joan’s story is ancient, it is strangely new--and deeply relevant to the world we live in today. The same battle Joan waged for the simple right to education is still being fought today by heroic women in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Algeria and other countries--and they are being opposed by some of the very same arguments Joan confronted.

3. “Perfume” had the advantage of publisher support that helped make the novel a bestseller. “Pope Joan”, abandoned by its previous publisher, stayed in print only because of “grass-roots” reader support--in other words, because of you!

Now I turn to you again. This is a crucial moment of decision. In the next two weeks, Constantin and the U.S. distributors they approach need to be convinced that there IS an enthusiastic audience for Joan’s story here in the U.S.--an audience large enough to justify a “wide” release (all theaters), not a limited one (art-house theaters).

Here's what you can doFill out the form above and add a comment to let producers know of your interest in the film.  Then, forward the email invitation you received to your friends -- or simply send a link to this page.  The more Pope Joan fans on our map, the better chance you have of of seeing Pope Joan in a theater near you.

Link here for the map form.  And thank you!