Apocalypse As Revelation: An Indie Catholic Film Finds A Global Audience
Key Points
- A 2024 Argentine indie film insists “apocalypse” means revelation and hope, not disaster entertainment.
- It explains Revelation through Catholic tradition, pushing back on free-form, do-it-yourself readings.
- Its hybrid rollout—cinemas plus direct online sales—shows how niche media crosses borders quickly.
Pop culture trained audiences to treat “apocalypse” as a synonym for collapse. Filmmaker Simón Delacre, founder of Caravel Films, is trying to reverse that reflex with the Apocalypse of St. John.
Made independently in 2024, the film runs about 1 hour 53 minutes (listed by some outlets as 113 minutes). It adopts a docufiction style: dramatizations of the Book of Revelation’s visions—seals, horsemen, trumpets, and heavenly scenes—paired with guided explanation meant to keep the symbolism anchored, not improvised.
That choice is the story behind the story. Delacre’s project pushes back against a cultural mood that either turns religion into horror aesthetics or strips it into private, anything-goes symbolism.
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He says the script follows Catholic exegesis and draws on established commentators including John Henry Newman, Josef Pieper, Monsenhor Straubinger, and Fr. Leonardo Castellani.
He has said the screenplay was reviewed by priests and a theologian, and promotion has highlighted praise from Bishop Athanasius Schneider and Cardinal Juan Sandoval Íñiguez.
Religious Epic Finds Global Streaming and Theater Reach
Distribution became the second argument. Reporting in Argentina cited an October 17, 2024 theatrical release. Spain’s campaign referenced a March 28 cinema date under the title La Biblia: Apocalipsis.
Alongside theaters, Caravel built its own rental-and-purchase platform, commonly listing prices around €7.99 to rent and €12.99 to buy, with card charges processed in dollars. The film is promoted through official channels on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
Delacre has claimed release in more than 17 countries and strong traction across Latin America, with Mexico, Colombia, Peru, and Argentina often singled out. The film ends as “Part One,” teeing up a sequel titled *O Dragão e as Duas Bestas*, still without a release date.
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