What You Should Watch During The Paschal Triduum
Movies for a Holy Season
The Paschal Triduum—Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday into Easter Sunday—is the heart of the Christian calendar. It’s not just a set of events; it’s the movement of God’s love from table to cross to tomb to triumph. On Holy Thursday, Jesus shares a meal, washes feet, and redefines greatness—not as power, but as service. Then, on Good Friday, we confront the cost of that love. We call it “good” not because the pain was beautiful, but because through it, redemption breaks into the world. Holy Saturday? That’s the silence of waiting—when all seems lost and heaven seems still. But Easter—resurrection—isn’t just about Jesus rising. It’s about joy breaking through grief, hope rising from despair, and love getting the final word.
The Triduum is how we remember that resurrection doesn’t skip the pain—it moves through it. That’s the shape of our faith: from brokenness to beauty. If we let it, this holy weekend reshapes us. Not into people who just celebrate Easter, but into people who live Easter—carrying resurrection into a world still sitting in Holy Saturday. Because the empty tomb? That’s not just an ending. It’s a beginning.
So how best can you enter into The Paschal Triduum through watching movies?1
1. The Mission (1986) – Holy Thursday
On Holy Thursday, we remember Jesus washing feet and sharing a final meal—a moment of profound humility and service. The Mission captures this spirit through the story of Jesuit priests who, amidst colonial exploitation, choose to serve and protect the indigenous Guarani people. Their commitment to nonviolence and solidarity mirrors Jesus’ own path of sacrificial love. As we watch their journey, we’re invited to consider how true discipleship often means laying down power and embracing vulnerability for the sake of others.
2. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) – Good Friday
Good Friday confronts us with the cost of redemption. In Rogue One, a group of unlikely heroes sacrifices everything to secure hope for the galaxy. Their mission, marked by loss and courage, echoes the crucifixion’s themes of self-giving love and the belief that some causes are worth dying for. As we reflect on the cross, this film challenges us to consider what we’re willing to risk for the greater good and how even in death, seeds of hope can be sown.
3. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) – Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is a day of silence and waiting, dwelling in the tension between death and resurrection. The Last Temptation of Christ delves into Jesus’ humanity, exploring his doubts and desires. While controversial, the film invites us to sit with the uncomfortable reality that even the divine faced temptation and fear. In this liminal space, we’re reminded that faith often involves wrestling with uncertainty, and that redemption encompasses the full depth of human experience.
Taken from Abbu Olcese, “Films For All Seasons”