The question of which is the stronger pull on humanity – faith or reality – has haunted me for a long time and it comes to the fore in The Third Miracle. Graham Greene once said that the biggest problem of our times is that we have lost the belief in miracles, the meaning of them. I think this is true. To date there have been primarily three kinds of movies that have tackled this subject: 1. the fantasy horror movie such as The Exorcist 2. the satirical comedy such as Monty Python's Life of Brian 3. the psychological drama about the lives and failings of priests, such as Priest What really appeals to me about The Third Miracle is that it doesn't fit into any of these categories. It is an original exploration of this subject that continues to fascinate people. In this story, the style is very realistic and the characters are very true to life, yet at the same time it presents the idea that miracles might be just as real. Mystical events exist on an equal plane with the psychological and the sociological in this film. I have also always been fascinated with the Catholic Church as an institution with its own fascinating history, folklore, rules and metaphysical dimensions. The lives of men who choose to become priests intrigue me enormously. What drives a normal man to such extremes of devotion and faith? It is an extraordinary subject. Even more interesting to me is what happens to such a man when he has to face the doubts and the temptations that must arise throughout his life? The issue of how belief can make miracles come true is also a very rich one. I remember a professor of medieval history once said to me: "You can be Catholic and still not believe in the miracles at Lourdes, but you cannot be a rationalist and refuse to believe in the miracles at Lourdes, because the facts are the facts." What I enjoy most about The Third Miracle is that it is about an investigation of the facts but it carries both a message of hope and enduring mystery for the priest Frank Shore, for the audience and for myself. -- Agnieszka Holland