Papa León Comes Home: Help Us Finish the Film
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A Kansas earthworks artist, a Chiclayo priest and a city preparing to welcome its Pope home. Help this story get told.
Story
On November 13, Pope Leo XIV returns to Chiclayo, Peru, the city he served as bishop for eight years, before the world knew his name. Close to a million people are expected at the Mass on the Pimentel coast.
We're making a film about that homecoming, and about two gifts being made for him.
The first is a portrait of Papa León, as Chiclayo calls him, set into the earth in tile and stone by Kansas earthworks artist Stan Herd. Stan has spent more than four decades making art out of the land itself. This is the first earthwork he has ever built in tile. It will be revealed on November 10, three days before the Pope arrives.
The second comes from Father Cesar, a Chiclayo priest who served alongside the future Pope for years. He is preparing a gift for his old friend.
We have already filmed in Chiclayo: scouting land with Father Cesar and his colleague Louis, meeting with Universidad Señor de Sipán, walking the streets where Leo was loved long before he was famous. The short preview above is what we have so far.
Now we need to finish it. That means filming the build, the reveal and spending with Father Cesar about his friendship with Leo and the gift he is making, and completing the portrait.
"The world's looking for a good story. They're tired of all the bad stories. We have a story." — Stan Herd
Mockup of the planned earthwork
Who we are:
Stan Herd is an earthworks artist from Kansas whose portraits and landscapes are planted, cut and laid into the ground at a scale best seen from the air
Marc Havener is the founder of Resonate Pictures in Lawrence, Kansas. His films have earned four national ADDY Awards, and more than 100 film festival selections. Most recently he premiered his latest short film at the prestigious Newport Beach Film Festival (Oct 2026).
Where the money goes
- The Earthwork - Tile, stone, materials and local crew for Stan's portrait of Pope Leo.
- The Film - Creative Development
- Pre-Production - Logistics, Planning and
- Production - Crew, Travel + Lodging, Gear Rentals, Filming the production of the earthwork, the reveal and Father Cesar's story
- Post-production
- Edit, color, sound mix
- Music and licensing
- Archival Research
- Festival Submissions and distribution
- Subtitles
- Deliverables
- Insurance
Get Credit in the film
- $10,000 Executive Producer
- $5,000 Co-Executive Producer
- $2,500 Associate Producer
(All the above limited to 5)
- $1,000 Name under "With Gratitude" in the end credits
- $500 Name under "Special Thanks" in the end credits
(All the above get a signed print of the finished Earthwork)
- But you can donate any amount - Your support to help us get this story told is so valuable to us and the world.
FAQ
Is this affiliated with the Catholic Church or the Vatican? No. This is an independent documentary. It is not produced or endorsed by the Church, the Diocese of Chiclayo or the Vatican.
Is my gift tax-deductible? If you are considering a major gift and need it to be, contact Stan before you give.
Who receives the money? Stan Herd, into an account used only for this project.
What happens if you raise more or less than the goal? Every dollar goes to finishing the portrait and the film. Funds beyond the goal go to festivals and getting the film seen.
When will the film be finished? February 2027.
Can I give by check or bank transfer? Yes. Email us (add address). Gifts given directly are added to the total on this page.
Past work by Stan Herd
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