FAQ

Like several other high profile German productions a prolonged TV version was created that features more than 20 minutes of new footage. Basically the Theatrical Version of "Pope Joan" doesn't lack any elementary elements at all but the TV Version seems to be better and more logical since the Theatrical Version is kind of bumpy. Especially the long part about Joan's childhood, of which most of the new footage is about, emphasizes the inner conflict because of her being ridiculously faithful on the one hand but having more and more doubts about the church and their priests and their obvious false interpretations of the bible. Due to the lack of that footage, the Theatrical Version doesn't illustrate this inner conflict as it should because it's important for the character. Anastasius' and Arsenius' scheme against Pope Sergius or Joan's passionate commitment to evolve the personal living conditions of the poor and weak in Rome are worked out much better and so is Joan's relationship with Count Gerold.