The Nativity Story, a film about the birth of Jesus, became the first ever movie to make it's world premiere at the Vatican.
7000 people turned up on Sunday at Paul VI Hall, although Pope Benedict XVI was not present, to view the film which stars Whale Rider actress Keisha Castle-Hughes.
"I think the pope is pretty busy," joked director Catherine Hardwicke (Lords of Dogtown, Thirteen) to reporters. "I'm so happy with all the people that did come and the love that came out of the audience. It's incredible, such a beautiful honour."
Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand, Fog) appears in the film as Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist.
The Nativity Story was shot in the same town in southern Italy where Mel Gibson shot The Passion of the Christ but Hardwicke's film is decidedly less controversial.
"There were some things he did that maybe were a little controversial," the director politely said about Gibson's effort. "We wanted our film to be uniting and make the public see the similarities between religious instead of the differences."