Watch the latest film on the Shroud of Turin here.
David Rolfe’s Who Can He Be? is a magnificent, spiritually enriching, and intellectually compelling documentary that opens a window onto one of the Church’s most sacred and mysterious treasures: the Shroud of Turin. In a world that often demands simplistic answers to profound questions, this film stands as a luminous testament to the harmony of faith and reason, inviting believers to contemplate the enduring mystery of Christ’s passion through the lens of meticulous scholarship and sincere devotion. Rolfe, a BAFTA-winning filmmaker who previously explored the Shroud in his acclaimed 1978 documentary The Silent Witness, returns to this holy subject not with a sense of repetition but with a profound sense of vocation, offering the faithful the fruits of decades of intellectual, cinematic, and spiritual engagement with the cloth that tradition reveres as the burial shroud of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The documentary arrives as a gift to the Catholic faithful at a time when the Shroud of Turin continues to inspire awe and contemplation among millions of believers worldwide. Since the controversial radiocarbon dating conducted in 1988, which assigned the cloth to the medieval period between 1260 and 1390, many in the secular world have seized upon this result as a definitive dismissal of the Shroud’s authenticity. Yet as Rolfe’s film demonstrates with clarity and conviction, this conclusion is deeply flawed and has been called into question by a growing body of scientific evidence that the tested portion likely came from a repaired or otherwise unrepresentative section of the cloth. More than three decades after the radiocarbon test that seemed to settle the matter, Who Can He Be? invites the faithful to look again with the eyes of both faith and reason, to weigh the evidence prayerfully, and to recognize the Shroud for what it so powerfully appears to be: a miraculous witness to the suffering and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Documentary’s Sacred Purpose
At its heart, Who Can He Be? is a film about truth—the truth that sets us free and the truth that the Church has always sought through the harmonious integration of faith and reason. Rather than claiming to solve the mystery through a single sensational revelation, Rolfe assembles a compelling case for reexamining evidence that has too often been treated as conclusive by those who approach the Shroud with skepticism rather than openness. The documentary’s principal concern is whether the Shroud can fairly be dismissed as a medieval forgery solely because of the controversial radiocarbon dating conducted in 1988. This is not merely a technical or historical question; it is a question that touches upon the very heart of our faith, the reality of Christ’s incarnation, suffering, death, and resurrection.
The film lovingly traces the Shroud’s venerable history, following its path from its probable origins in first-century Jerusalem to its current resting place in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy. It explores the Shroud’s profound importance as a revered Christian relic, an object that has inspired devotion, pilgrimage, and contemplation for centuries. The faithful have always understood that relics are not objects of superstition but tangible connections to the saints and to Christ Himself, and the Shroud has been venerated as such by countless believers, including several Popes who have recognized its spiritual significance.
But the documentary is not content with simply recounting the Shroud’s history; it also engages critically with the scientific evidence, demonstrating how the 1988 carbon-dating result has been challenged by subsequent research that reveals the limitations and potential contamination of the original test. The film profiles the groundbreaking scientific research that has led many researchers to reconsider the Shroud’s authenticity, examining the unique and scientifically inexplicable nature of the Shroud’s image, which bears the marks of a crucified man consistent with the Gospel accounts of Christ’s passion. The image is superficial, does not penetrate the fibers of the cloth, and has defied all attempts at replication—characteristics that point toward a miraculous origin that transcends natural explanation. The documentary does not ask viewers to reject science; it asks them to consider whether all the relevant science has been weighed fairly and whether the conclusion of medieval forgery is truly as secure as many assume.
David Rolfe’s Faithful Witness
One of the most inspiring aspects of Who Can He Be? is the personal investment that David Rolfe brings to this sacred project. His long association with the Shroud gives the film unusual continuity and authenticity, and according to the film’s presentation, the subject has had a profound effect on Rolfe’s own life and faith journey. The documentary therefore operates on two levels: it is both an investigation into a holy relic and a record of one filmmaker’s sustained search for God’s truth.
Rolfe’s commitment is evident throughout the project. His perspective is informed by decades of research rather than passing curiosity, and his involvement gives the film a depth of spiritual seriousness that distinguishes it from more superficial treatments of religious subjects. His conviction supplies the documentary with urgency and purpose, and the film’s sincerity reflects a genuine faith seeking understanding. This is not a filmmaker who has stumbled upon an intriguing subject and produced a documentary of convenience; it is a filmmaker who has been called to return to a subject that has inspired him, challenged him, and deepened his faith over the course of his career.
Rolfe’s personal witness is particularly moving for Catholic viewers who understand the importance of testimony in the life of faith. His willingness to share how the Shroud has affected his own spiritual journey transforms Who Can He Be? from a conventional documentary into something more like a pilgrimage, an invitation to share in the filmmaker’s quest for encounter with the living God. This personal dimension gives the film its emotional pulse and reminds us that the Shroud is not merely an object of academic study but a tangible sign of God’s love for humanity.
The film’s promotional material emphasizes that the Shroud has had a profound effect on Rolfe’s life, and this is evident in the reverence and seriousness with which he approaches the subject. He does not sensationalize the mystery or exploit it for dramatic effect; instead, he treats it with the gravity and respect that a holy relic deserves. This approach is a welcome contrast to the superficial treatment that the Shroud has sometimes received in popular media, and it reflects a deep understanding of the Shroud’s significance for the faithful.
The Harmony of Faith and Science
The documentary’s combination of history, science, photography, and religious inquiry is one of its most appealing features, demonstrating the harmony between faith and reason that is at the heart of the Catholic intellectual tradition. Rather than treating the Shroud as a matter belonging exclusively to theology or laboratory science, Rolfe brings together different kinds of evidence, showing how historical research, scientific investigation, and religious tradition can inform and illuminate one another. This interdisciplinary approach is intellectually responsible and spiritually enriching, allowing the documentary to build its case through a series of interconnected lines of inquiry that all point toward the same conclusion.
The film explores the documentary history of the Shroud, tracing its known provenance and examining the historical records that mention or describe the cloth. This historical dimension is crucial because it establishes the Shroud’s existence as a known object with a documented history that can be traced back to the earliest centuries of the Church. The Shroud’s history is not without gaps and uncertainties, but its documented presence in the historical record provides important context for understanding its significance and its connection to the early Christian community.
The documentary also examines the radiocarbon testing conducted in 1988 and its interpretation, raising important questions about the validity of the test results. The film thoroughly demonstrates the possibility that the tested sample came from a repaired or otherwise unrepresentative portion of the cloth, a possibility that has gained considerable support from subsequent scientific investigation. The documentary does not dismiss the radiocarbon results out of hand; instead, it examines them critically and honestly, showing how the conclusions drawn from the test may have been premature and overly confident. This is not an attack on science but a call for more careful and thorough scientific investigation.
The film also engages with the scientific research concerning the Shroud’s image, formation, and physical characteristics—research that has consistently pointed toward the Shroud’s authenticity. The Shroud’s image is remarkable in numerous respects: it is a negative image that resembles a photographic negative centuries before photography was invented; it is superficial, existing only on the outermost fibers of the cloth; it does not penetrate the fibers in the way that paints or dyes would; and it lacks many of the characteristics that would be expected from an artistic production. Researchers have attempted to replicate the image using various techniques, and the inability to produce a satisfactory explanation for its formation is one of the film’s central points. The documentary profiles scientific researchers who have studied the Shroud and arrived at conclusions that challenge the medieval forgery hypothesis, demonstrating that the question remains very much open and that the evidence points toward something far more remarkable than a medieval forgery.
Cinematic and Spiritual Strengths
As a work of documentary filmmaking, Who Can He Be? exhibits a clear sense of purpose and a coherent structure that makes it easy for viewers to follow the investigation. The film is driven by a coherent question and never loses sight of its central subject, maintaining a seriousness and focus that are appropriate for a sacred subject. This clarity of purpose is one of the documentary’s great strengths, allowing viewers to engage with the material without becoming lost in tangents or overwhelmed by excessive detail.
The film also benefits from a persuasive cumulative structure that builds interest through a series of historical, scientific, and photographic questions. Rather than depending entirely on one piece of evidence, the documentary builds its case through the accumulation of evidence, giving viewers a sense of discovery as they move from one line of inquiry to another. This structure is intellectually satisfying because it mirrors the process of investigation itself, allowing viewers to follow the reasoning that has led researchers to question the established narrative. For Catholic viewers, this structure also mirrors the process of coming to faith, which often involves the gradual accumulation of insights and the patient work of the intellect seeking understanding.
The Shroud itself is inherently visual and contemplative, and the documentary makes excellent use of its subject’s sacred qualities. Its faint image, damaged surface, uncertain history, and religious significance provide the documentary with an atmosphere of reverence and awe. The film’s cinematography captures the Shroud’s haunting beauty and its mysterious qualities, conveying the sense of prayerful contemplation that the cloth has inspired over the centuries. The visual presentation is respectful and restrained, allowing the Shroud’s own power to speak for itself rather than overwhelming it with unnecessary effects or manipulative techniques. This is particularly important for Catholic viewers, for whom the Shroud is not merely a historical artifact but an object of veneration and devotion.
The film also demonstrates intellectual accessibility, appealing to viewers already familiar with Shroud research while also welcoming those who are encountering the subject for the first time. It presents a complex controversy in a way that encourages curiosity rather than requiring specialist knowledge, explaining scientific concepts and historical details in a way that is clear and engaging. This accessibility is important because it allows the film to reach a wide audience, inviting believers who may not have previously considered the Shroud’s significance to engage with the evidence and deepen their faith.
The documentary’s sincerity and conviction are among its strongest qualities, and the film’s evident belief that the subject deserves serious attention gives it an emotional force that is appropriate for a sacred subject. Its purpose is not simply to provoke controversy but to encourage renewed examination and deeper faith, to invite believers to look again at evidence that has been dismissed too quickly by those who approach the Shroud with skepticism rather than faith. This sincerity is evident in every aspect of the film, from the careful presentation of evidence to the respectful treatment of religious tradition.
A Witness to Faith and Reason
Who Can He Be? stands as an important contribution to the Catholic intellectual tradition, demonstrating the harmony between faith and reason that has been central to the Church’s understanding of truth since the earliest days of Christianity. The film’s openly committed perspective is not a weakness but a strength: Rolfe is not hiding his convictions, and that transparency allows viewers to understand the documentary as a faithful witness rather than a purportedly neutral presentation of facts.
In a media landscape where supposed objectivity often masks hidden assumptions and unexamined biases, Rolfe’s transparency is refreshing and honest. He does not pretend to be a neutral observer; he is a passionate advocate for the truth, and his advocacy gives the film its energy and purpose. Catholic viewers who already believe in the Shroud’s authenticity will find their faith deepened and enriched, while those who are uncertain will be invited to consider the evidence with an open mind and a prayerful heart.
The film’s emphasis on the importance of examining evidence for oneself is particularly valuable in a culture that often presents conclusions as settled facts. By encouraging viewers to look again, ask better questions, and approach a sacred mystery with an open mind and a faithful heart, the documentary makes a contribution to the life of faith that extends beyond its immediate subject. It is a film that trusts its audience, inviting them to engage with the evidence rather than simply accepting the conclusions that have been handed down to them by skeptical voices.
Significance for the Catholic Faithful
Who Can He Be? arrives as a gift to the Church at a time when the Shroud of Turin continues to inspire awe and devotion among millions of believers around the world. The documentary serves as an important resource for the faithful, providing a thoughtful and accessible introduction to the evidence that has led many researchers to embrace the Shroud’s authenticity. The film’s availability for free streaming through its official site and the inclusion of bonus material further enhance its value and accessibility for Catholic viewers.
The documentary’s potential impact extends beyond the specific question of the Shroud’s authenticity. It raises broader questions about the nature of evidence, the limitations of scientific testing, and the relationship between scientific inquiry and religious belief. These are questions that have relevance far beyond the specific case of the Shroud, and the film invites believers to consider them in a thoughtful and prayerful manner.
For Catholic viewers, the Shroud holds particular significance as a witness to Christ’s passion and a tangible connection to the mystery of our redemption. The image on the Shroud corresponds in remarkable detail to the Gospel accounts of Christ’s suffering: the wounds from the crown of thorns, the marks of the scourging, the wounds in the hands and feet, the wound in the side from the lance. These correspondences are not coincidental but point toward the Shroud’s authenticity and its power as an aid to devotion.
The film’s treatment of the Shroud as a holy relic rather than merely a historical artifact is particularly appropriate for Catholic viewers. The Church has always recognized the value of relics as tangible connections to the saints and to Christ, and the Shroud has been venerated as such by countless believers, including Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and Pope Francis, all of whom have acknowledged its power to inspire faith and devotion.
Conclusion
Who Can He Be? is an inspiring and spiritually enriching documentary that deserves to be seen by every Catholic who seeks to deepen their understanding of the mysteries of our faith. David Rolfe brings decades of experience and personal conviction to a subject that continues to inspire awe and devotion among millions of believers. The film succeeds magnificently in demonstrating that the Shroud deserves thoughtful examination rather than casual dismissal and that the evidence points toward something far more remarkable than a medieval forgery.
The documentary’s greatest achievement is its invitation to look again at a sacred mystery with the eyes of both faith and reason, to recognize that the Shroud is not merely an object of historical curiosity but a tangible connection to Our Lord Jesus Christ and His suffering for our salvation. In a culture that often prefers quick answers to difficult questions and skepticism to faith, Who Can He Be? reminds us of the value of patience, intellectual honesty, and sustained inquiry in the service of truth and faith.
Most importantly, the film encourages viewers to look again at the evidence with an open mind and a prayerful heart, to ask better questions, and to approach this sacred mystery with the reverence it deserves. This is perhaps its greatest contribution: not merely the presentation of evidence but the creation of an opportunity for genuine encounter with the mystery of Christ’s passion. In this sense, the documentary is a true gift to the Church, an invitation to join in the investigation of one of history’s most profound questions, and a reminder that some mysteries deserve sustained attention and devotion rather than quick dismissal.
David Rolfe’s Who Can He Be? stands as a powerful witness to the harmony of faith and reason and a testament to the enduring power of the Shroud to inspire faith, deepen devotion, and draw believers closer to the mystery of Christ’s love. It is a film that deserves to be seen and discussed, a contribution to the life of the Church that will continue to bear fruit in the lives of those who encounter it. For all these reasons, it is a film that every Catholic should seek out, a source of enrichment and inspiration for the journey of faith.
