Virginie Efira
Sister Benedetta Carlini
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A 17th-century nun becomes entangled in a forbidden lesbian affair with a novice. But it is Benedetta's shocking religious visions that threaten to shake the Church to its core.
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| Homepage | https://www.benedettamovie.com |
|---|---|
| Release Date | 2021-07-09 |
| Runtime | 2h 11m |
| Directors | Paul Verhoeven, Jeanne Lapoirie, Alain Carsoux, Thierry Poulet |
| Producers | Saïd Ben Saïd, Michel Merkt, Jérôme Seydoux, Conchita Airoldi, Kevin Chneiweiss, Fabrice Delville, Arnold Heslenfeld, Teun Hilte, Kateryna Merkt, Laurette Schillings, Job ter Burg, Christophe Toulemonde, Frans van Gestel, Patrick Vandenbosch |
| Writers | Paul Verhoeven, David Birke, Judith C. Brown, Pascal Bonitzer |
After living in a nunnery in Pescia since her youth, "Benedetta" (Virginie Efira) has visions that lead her to believe that she is speaking directly to Jesus. A somewhat sceptical Mother Superior (Charlotte Rampling) and her fellow nun "Christina" (Louise Cevillotte) have doubts, but those are not shared by an all-too-willing clergy and soon the young woman is the new Abbess. Simultaneously, the nunnery takes in the young "Bartolomea" (Daphne Patakia) from a torrid and violent relationship with her father and the two women become fast friends - with benefits! When the erstwhile Abbess flees to seek the intervention of the Papal Nuncio (Lambert Wilson) the full power of the church now confronts "Benedetta" - is she really a conduit from their Saviour, or is she no more than a fraud with "bestial" tendencies? The film looks stunning, the attention to the detail is excellent and Paul Verhoeven manages to delicately weave a story that demonstrates just how naive and gullible folks were in the 17th century; how fearful they were of god - and more importantly, the church and he uses the symbolism of the stigmata and of the crown of thorns to illustrate successfully the profound nature of deeply-held attitudes held by a largely ignorant, superstitious, population - especially as the plague approaches their city. It is based in fact, so the ending has limited scope for jeopardy; but Efira is superb in the role as are Cevilotte and Rampling - whose position as the story develops becomes quite an intriguing tightrope act. Sex features prominently, but none of it is gratuitous or seamy - it seems perfectly natural until used as a means of torture (and not in any kinky way!). Was she a charlatan? I know what I think...
— CinemaSerf