When you step inside a movie theater, you never know what’s going to happen… there in the dark, for an hour or two. A movie is a powerful thing, and There Be Dragons has already demonstrated the power to change the lives not only of viewers but also of actors. 

St Josemaria's life, like everyone else's, was made up of light and shadows. Through the whole of it his overwhelming desire was to be faithful to where God was taking him. This makes him a brilliant guide for others in the dark moments of their lives.

Charlie Cox himself, who plays St. Josemaría in the movie, told reporters: “My relationship with the Catholic Church and with God has certainly been profoundly affected for the better throughout this process.”

People have been writing personal testimonies to the website of St Josemaria Institute, describing the impact that the film had on their lives. Here are a few:

“I've been trying to forgive my mother all my life (…). On May 6 the topic of my therapy session was finding a way to forgive her, and that night I saw There Be Dragons. I chose to ask for St. Josemaria's intercessions, and since then, I have had nothing but good memories of her. I AM FREE of my dragon!!!” -Cynthia

I leave wanting to be a better person
"Thank you, Roland Joffé. You have managed that a person, at the end of the film, is left with desires to be a better person and with the clear idea that it is not worth letting yourself be carried away by your passions. To behave in a decent, human way will at times lead to suffering, and acting badly perhaps has some advantages and saves you some blows in life . . . but it is not worth it. Thank you for this beautiful film." -José Ignacio

“Gentlemen: I am writing to thank you for having made this film. A few weeks ago I called a friend of mine to tell him that my wife and I had decided to divorce. We have a daughter. This friend told me: "Before you do that, you have to watch There Be Dragons." I went to see the movie with my wife, accompanied by this friend. We left the theater crying and unable to speak. We spent all that night talking about it, because we realized that the problem was not in our relationship as husband and wife, but that we had not been able to identify and overcome our own inner dragons. The real problems were in each one of us. So we have decided to focus our struggles on that, to overcome our dragons, and not to talk about divorce any more. We have also decided to try to have a new child.” -Enrique Lorenzo

For more messages from viewers here: