It’s a cold wet evening on the streets of Dublin, but people have been queuing outside of the Savoy for the Jameson International Film Festival since 7 am to catch a glimpse of screen legend Al Pacino, in Ireland for one day to promote what he describes as his “most personal project ever.”

Signing autographs for fans outside the venue, I ask the superstar how it feels to be back in Ireland. Pacino tells me he was here about four years ago, but he’s not precise on the details.

“It’s like being back in the Bronx,” he jokes. “Everyone is so welcoming. It’s like coming home.”

The Hollywood A lister is here to showcase Wilde Salome, an unconventional feature documentary that explores the complexities of Oscar Wilde’s notorious 1891 play Salome, Wilde himself, and the birth of a rising star in actress Jessica Chastain (The Debt, The Help).

Pacino admits that his fascination with Dublin playwright Oscar Wilde originated when he first went to see Salome in a theater and wanted to know who wrote it.

“Who is the playwright? I want to know who wrote that! I wanted to know him.”

He admits to not having read the program beforehand, and assuming Wilde, who died in 1900, was a modern day writer. I ask if he was familiar with Wilde’s work before that moment.

“Yeah, I knew of him, of course, but in that moment, during that play, he spoke to me like a prophet. A seer.”

Pacino both directs and also stars as King Herod in the project which combines footage from a documentary on Wilde’s life, scenes of a reading of the play in Los Angeles and a film version of the play.

The feature is described as a raw exploration of obsession, determination, commitment and passion. Pacino’s vision encompasses religion, literature, politics, violence and sexuality from one of the world’s greatest artists – Dublin writer, Oscar Wilde.

So why turn Wilde’s most notorious play into what is essentially a movie?

“Well at first I didn’t even know it was going to be a movie,” he confesses with a smile.

“But you know, it’s a great play and one which marks a departure from some of [Wilde’s] other works. I don’t know. It just struck me in a very personal way. I was drawn to it. Did you know we filmed part of it right here in Dublin? It’s like it’s coming home to where it belongs.”

This article by current editor Jennifer Griffin originally appeared in ScreenSpy Magazine (the online publication she created and directed for over 12 years), on Feb. 23, 2012.