Francesca Scorsese has directed an episode for her father Martin Scorsese's Fox Nation series 'Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints,' focusing on the first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis. The episode premieres on December 7, 2025, and explores Acutis's life as a devout Catholic teen who promoted faith online before dying of leukemia at 15. Scorsese shares insights into her religious upbringing and decision to avoid filming the saint's preserved body.
Episode Overview
Francesca Scorsese stepped behind the camera for an episode of 'Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints,' a Fox Nation series narrated and executive produced by her father, Martin Scorsese. The installment centers on Saint Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager canonized in 2015 after his death from leukemia in 2006 at age 15. Acutis gained recognition as the first millennial saint for using the internet to spread Catholic teachings.
During production in Assisi, Italy, where Acutis's body is displayed in a glass coffin, Francesca faced a dilemma about filming the preserved remains. 'It was slightly disturbing because it’s a young boy. They put this silicone mask over him, and he looks perfectly preserved,' she explained. 'It looks like a young boy sleeping, like one of my friends, and he’s in a tracksuit and sneakers.' Ultimately, she opted against it, stating, 'No, we can’t. It just feels so wrong.' The team instead incorporated minimal stock footage to respect the site's serenity.
Personal Background and Faith Journey
Raised in a religious household, Francesca participated in communion and confirmation, attending church and nightly prayers. Her father often read Bible stories as bedtime tales. However, her faith waned during her teens amid her mother Helen's struggle with Parkinson’s disease. 'I often found myself asking, ‘Why does God do bad things to good people, or let bad things happen to good people?’' she reflected. This personal challenge contributed to her drifting away from Catholicism.
Collaboration and Hesitations
While directing, Francesca shared dailies with her father, receiving positive feedback like, 'These rushes look great.' Notes came only in post-production, which she found valid. Acknowledging her privilege, she said, 'I got this obviously because my dad was overseeing everything as the executive producer. I’m not going to deny anything. I’m honored to be given an opportunity like this, and I’m going to do my best.'
She expressed initial hesitation about the Fox Nation project due to its political associations but proceeded, noting, 'Fox was the only one that supported this project and that wanted to bring this project to life.' The episode premieres Sunday, December 7, 2025, on Fox Nation.
Francesca's credits include acting in Luca Guadagnino’s HBO series 'We Are Who We Are' and directing three shorts. Her next project is 'Adults,' a dark comedy short about her mother’s Paris childhood.