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Historical drama

Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972): Cast & Plot

Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972) movie poster

Brother Sun, Sister Moon is a 1972 historical drama directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Valentina Cortese as Pica Di Bernardone, Lee Montague and Graham Faulkner. It runs 2 hours 1 minute.

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Read the plot summary
Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 1m (121 min)
Director
Franco Zeffirelli
Genres
Drama , History
Original language
English
Studio
Euro International Films
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Brother Sun, Sister Moon About?

The premise of Brother Sun, Sister Moon without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In delirium after returning from war, Francesco Bernardone is haunted by memories of his hedonistic past. As he recovers, the illness reshapes him; he leaves taverns for quiet contemplation of nature’s beauty, renounces wealth and his family, and devotes himself to restoring an abandoned church and rebuilding his life.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • 1210s
  • 13th century
  • spiritual awakening
  • poverty
  • pope innocent iii
  • middle ages
  • martyr
  • gospel
  • catholicism
  • catholic church
  • knight
  • spirituality
+38 more
  • christianity
  • catholic
  • franciscan order
  • religion
  • monk
  • saint francis of assisi
  • based on true story
  • barefoot male
  • vegetarian
  • sunlight
  • period drama
  • opposite in title
  • saint clare of assisi
  • costume drama
  • cross
  • pope
  • church
  • merchant
  • illness
  • friendship
  • drinking
  • death
  • clothing
  • beggar
  • armor
  • famous score
  • born again christian
  • worker
  • whistling
  • wheat
  • wealth
  • waterfall
  • washing
  • war profiteer
  • war hero
  • textile
  • teenage girl
  • teenage boy
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Cast & crew

Brother Sun, Sister Moon Cast & Characters

Valentina Cortese leads the cast as Pica Di Bernardone, with Lee Montague as Pietro Di Bernardone and Graham Faulkner as Franz von Assisi. Directed by Franco Zeffirelli; 21 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Brother Sun, Sister Moon

· 17 more
Show all 21 cast members
From the director

More from Franco Zeffirelli

More films directed by Franco Zeffirelli, best-rated first: Romeo and Juliet, Tea with Mussolini, Hamlet and Callas Forever.

Full filmography
Plot

Brother Sun, Sister Moon Plot Summary

What happens in Brother Sun, Sister Moon from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Francesco, Graham Faulkner, the spoiled son of wealthy textile merchant Pietro Bernardone Lee Montague, returns from fighting in the war between Assisi and Perugia, only to be forced into a long recovery that rekindles visions of his once-boisterous youth. As his body mends, he experiences a profound interior shift, discovering a path rooted in poverty, chastity, and obedience, and he begins to feel a renewal that is both physical and spiritual. This awakening unsettles the family’s comfortable status quo and fills Francesco with revulsion at his father’s fixation on gold, setting the stage for a fierce clash between father and son.

Full summary

The whole story of Brother Sun, Sister Moon, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Brother Sun, Sister Moon?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Which actor portrays the young Francesco in the film?
Details

Brother Sun, Sister Moon Also Known As

20 alternative titles, including “성프란체스코” and “Bruder Sonne”.

Also known as
  • 성프란체스코
  • Bruder Sonne
  • Schwester Mond
  • François et le chemin du soleil
  • Hermano sol, hermana luna
  • Napfivér
  • Holdnővér
  • Брат Солнце, сестра Луна
  • אחי שמש אחותי לבנה
  • Irmão Sol
  • Irmã Lua
  • Broder sol och syster måne
+8 more
  • Brat Słońce, siostra Księżyc
  • Ay ve Güneş Kardeşler
  • Bratr Slunce, sestra Luna
  • Братко Слънце
  • Сестро Луна
  • 日为吾兄月为吾妹
  • 브라더 썬 씨스터 문, ძმა მზე, და მთვარე
  • ブラザー・サン シスター・ムーン

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FAQ

Brother Sun, Sister Moon FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, director, cast and post-credit scenes of Brother Sun, Sister Moon, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Brother Sun, Sister Moon?

Brother Sun, Sister Moon runs 2 hours 1 minute (121 minutes).

When was Brother Sun, Sister Moon released?

Brother Sun, Sister Moon was released on March 3, 1972.

Who directed Brother Sun, Sister Moon?

Brother Sun, Sister Moon was directed by Franco Zeffirelli.

More films by Franco Zeffirelli

Who is in the cast of Brother Sun, Sister Moon?

Brother Sun, Sister Moon stars Valentina Cortese as Pica Di Bernardone, Lee Montague as Pietro Di Bernardone and Graham Faulkner as Franz von Assisi, among 21 credited actors.

Does Brother Sun, Sister Moon have a post-credit scene?

No. Brother Sun, Sister Moon has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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