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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Cabrini (2024) turns the life of Frances Xavier Cabrini into a 142-minute historical drama about immigration, institutional resistance and the practical work behind a religious mission. Directed by Alejandro Monteverde and written by Rod Barr, the film follows Cabrini from her arrival in New York in 1889 through her efforts to create schools, medical care and shelter for Italian immigrant children.
It is not a documentary, but it is built around a real figure whose accomplishments were unusually extensive: Cabrini founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, crossed the Atlantic 24 times and established 67 institutions. Cristiana Dell’Anna plays Cabrini, opposite David Morse as Archbishop Corrigan and John Lithgow as Mayor Gould.
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What is Cabrini about?
The film begins with Francesca Cabrini as a determined religious leader in Italy. She wants to establish a mission in China, but Pope Leo XIII directs her toward the United States instead. In 1889, Cabrini and six Missionary Sisters arrive in New York, where they encounter a city marked by overcrowding, poverty, disease and hostility toward Italian immigrants.
The central conflict is not simply whether Cabrini can raise money. She must persuade church officials, politicians and wealthy donors that Italian children deserve education, healthcare and a safe place to live. The sisters also have to build trust among immigrants who have learned to expect abandonment or exploitation from powerful institutions.
#1 Best Overall
- Run Time: 142 min.
- Rating: PG-13
- Bonus features included: Behind the Scenes "Who is Cabrini?" and Trailers
- Audio Languages: English, English AD, Spanish, Portuguese
- Subtitles: English, English SDH, Spanish, French, Portuguese
That makes the film less a conventional saint’s biography than an account of organizing under pressure. Cabrini negotiates for property, confronts officials and develops networks of support while facing resistance because she is a woman, an immigrant and a religious outsider in a male-dominated hierarchy.
Frances Xavier Cabrini’s historical background
Francesca Cabrini was born in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano, Italy, on July 15, 1850. She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and dedicated the order to education and care for migrants, orphans and the sick.
Although she is often described as the “first American saint,” that phrase needs qualification. Cabrini was born in Italy and became a United States citizen in 1909. She was the first American citizen to be canonized. Pope Pius XII canonized her in 1946, and in 1950 she was named the universal Patroness of Immigrants.
Her work extended far beyond the New York events depicted in the film. According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cabrini made 24 transatlantic crossings and helped establish 67 institutions, including schools, hospitals and orphanages. The Missionary Sisters’ work continues across six continents and 15 countries.
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| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Title | Cabrini |
| Year | 2024 |
| Director | Alejandro Monteverde |
| Screenplay | Rod Barr |
| Lead performer | Cristiana Dell’Anna as Francesca Cabrini |
| Principal distributor | Angel Studios |
| U.S. theatrical release | March 8, 2024 |
| Running time | 142 minutes, or 2 hours 22 minutes |
| Rating | PG-13 for thematic material, some violence, language and smoking |
| Languages | English and Italian |
The supporting cast includes David Morse as Archbishop Corrigan, John Lithgow as Mayor Gould, Giancarlo Giannini as Pope Leo XIII, Patch Darragh as Dr. Murphy and Romana Maggiora Vergano as Vittoria. Some online listings have mistakenly identified the pope in the film as “Leo XII.” The historical figure is Pope Leo XIII, who directed Cabrini toward missionary work in the West.
Rank #2
History and dramatic license
Cabrini should be approached as a dramatized biography rather than a primary historical source. Its broad framework reflects Cabrini’s documented mission: she did come to New York in 1889, worked with Italian immigrants and built institutions for children and the poor. The film also accurately places her within the era’s anti-Italian prejudice and gender restrictions.
As with most biographical dramas, the film compresses time and concentrates conflicts into a manageable narrative. Individual encounters, relationships and confrontations may represent wider historical pressures rather than unfold exactly as shown. Viewers seeking a fuller picture should pair the movie with biographies of Cabrini and records from the Missionary Sisters or the Catholic Church.
The film’s most useful historical emphasis is its attention to infrastructure. Cabrini’s mission was not limited to preaching or personal charity. Schools, orphanages, hospitals, property and fundraising were essential to the work. The story shows how difficult it was to turn moral concern into permanent institutions, particularly when the people being served were poor immigrants with little political influence.
Where to watch Cabrini
Angel Studios currently lists the film as available for streaming to Angel Guild members. The company also lists purchase and rental options through digital platforms, along with the Angel app and Blu-ray and DVD editions. Exact services and pricing vary by country and can change over time.
The reported video release date was June 25, 2024. The film originally opened in U.S. theaters on March 8, 2024.
Rank #3
Reception and box office
Angel Studios’ current film page displays a 90% Tomatometer score, a 98% audience score, a CinemaScore grade of A and an IMDb rating of 7.3/10. Rotten Tomatoes scores can change as reviews are added or its page is updated, so any numerical reception figure should be treated as time-sensitive.
Cabrini earned approximately $19.51 million in domestic box-office receipts and $20.59 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Its U.S. opening weekend brought in about $7.17 million from 2,840 theaters. The Numbers lists a reported production budget of $50 million, although budget figures can differ between databases and should not be treated as definitive without naming the source.
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Why the film matters to documentary viewers
For viewers interested in historical documentaries, Cabrini offers a narrative entry point into several subjects at once: Italian immigration, urban poverty, Catholic social work, women’s leadership and the development of charitable institutions in the United States.
Its strongest historical question is also a practical one: what does it take to help a vulnerable community when existing institutions do not regard that community as a priority? Cabrini’s answer involved persistence, fundraising, political negotiation and the creation of organizations that could continue after a single act of charity was over.
The film is therefore best viewed alongside factual follow-up rather than as a substitute for it. Its scenes can introduce the historical setting and Cabrini’s public mission; archival sources and biographies are needed to separate documented events from the choices made for dramatic storytelling.
Rank #4
- Una mujer italiana (Cabrini)
FAQ
Is Cabrini a documentary?
No. Cabrini is a 2024 American biographical drama directed by Alejandro Monteverde. It is based on the life and work of Frances Xavier Cabrini, but it uses actors, scripted scenes and dramatic reconstruction rather than documentary interviews and archival footage.
Who was Frances Xavier Cabrini?
Frances Xavier Cabrini was an Italian-born Catholic missionary who founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She served Italian immigrants and other vulnerable communities, founded schools, hospitals and orphanages, and became the first American citizen to be canonized in 1946.
How long is Cabrini?
The distributor and Box Office Mojo list the film at 142 minutes, or 2 hours 22 minutes. Some listings report 145 minutes, so running-time information is not completely consistent across databases.
Where can you watch Cabrini?
Angel Studios lists the film for Angel Guild streaming and also provides purchase or rental options through digital platforms. Angel lists app, Blu-ray and DVD availability as well; services differ by territory.
The Bottom Line
Cabrini is a polished historical drama about the institutional work behind Frances Xavier Cabrini’s legacy. It is most valuable as a starting point for learning about Italian immigration, women’s religious leadership and the early development of schools, hospitals and orphanages for marginalized communities. Watch it as dramatized history, then consult documentary and archival sources for the fuller record.
Quick Recap
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