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Benedetta (film)
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Wikipedia article
'Benedetta' is a 2021 biographical psychological drama film directed and co-written by Paul Verhoeven, starring Virginie Efira as Benedetta Carlini, a novice nun in the 17th century who joins an Italian convent and has a lesbian love affair with another nun.
The film is loosely based on the 1986 non-fiction book 'Immodest Acts: The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy' by Judith C. Brown, and brings back most of the key crew members from Verhoeven's previous film 'Elle' (which co-starred Efira), including producer Sad Ben Sad, writer David Birke, composer Anne Dudley and editor Job ter Burg.
The film premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival in competition for the Palme d'Or.
Plot
In 17th century Italy, young Benedetta Carlini is being taken to the convent in the town of Pescia to become a nun. When they stop at a roadside altar to pray, a group of bandits arrive and attempt to steal Benedetta's mother's necklace. The devout Benedetta warns them that she speaks with the Virgin Mary, who will punish them. When a bird, which Benedetta had identified as a sign that Mary has heard her, defecates in the bandit leader's eye, he gives back the necklace.
In Pescia, Benedetta is taken into the convent, run by Abbess Felicita. Years later, Benedetta is a grown woman, and a devout nun. During a play, in which Benedetta is playing the Virgin Mary, she has a vision of Jesus calling to her. A young woman named Bartolomea seeks shelter in the convent from her abusive father. Benedetta is assigned to oversee the integration of the poor and uneducated Bartolomea into the life of the convent. Bartolomea tells Benedetta that she was sexually abused by her father and brothers. That night, Bartolomea kisses Benedetta. Benedetta warns Bartolomea to be wary of the Abbess and her daughter, Sister Christina.
Benedetta begins to have visions of Jesus calling her to join him and saving her from dangers. After a particularly fraught vision, where a man who she mistakes for Jesus saves her from being gang raped, Benedetta falls into a deep illness. Abbess Felicita assigns Bartolomea to look after her. Benedetta begins to recover and starts teaching the illiterate Bartolomea to read and write. Benedetta has a vision of Christ on the cross. He tells her to undress herself and him and then touch his hands. The next morning, Benedetta wakes up with stigmata on her hands and feet.
An investigation ensues. Abbess Felicita is skeptical because previous incidents of stigmata have always occurred during prayer and Benedetta was asleep. Benedetta also lacks the head wounds formed by the crown of thorns. After leaving Felicita's chambers, Benedetta collapses. As people rush to check on her, she begins speaking in a male voice, castigating those who do not believe in her. She now has bleeding wounds on her forehead. Sister Christina notices a shard of broken glass on the floor and tells her mother that she believes that Benedetta inflicted the wounds herself. Felicita warns her that the male power structure has decided to verify Benedetta's stigmata as a legitimate miracle for political purposes.
Benedetta is elevated to Abbess in place of Felicita. Christina speaks out against this, but is warned by her mother that going against this decision could destroy her. Benedetta and Bartolomea are moved into Felicita's old quarters and begin having sex. Bartolomea carves a sex toy for Benedetta, using one end of a small wooden statue of the Virgin Mary which Benedetta had brought with her to the convent as a child. Christina goes to the priest and shares her belief that Benedetta faked her stigmata. She lies and says that she saw Benedetta inflict her head injuries. At meal time the next day, the priest makes Christina say her accusations publicly. When called on to back up her daughter's claim, Felicita refuses to lie and says that Christina did not directly witness what happened. Benedetta, apparently possessed with the spirit of Jesus, orders Christina to flagellate herself. Felicita observes Benedetta and Bartolomea having sex through a peep hole in their chambers.
A comet passes over the abbey, which many interpret as a sign of impending tragedy. As it passes, Christina flings herself from the abbey roof. As she dies, Benedetta asks to intercede with God on behalf of her soul, but an angry Felicita tells her to stay away. As a plague begins to ravage the countryside, Benedetta has a vision that Pescia will be spared and orders the abbey closed to prevent infection. Felicita slips out and travels to meet with the local Nuncio, sharing what she knows about Benedetta's sexual indiscretions.
Felicita returns to the abbey with the Nuncio as the plague worsens. Entering the abbey, they discover that Benedetta has died of unknown causes. As the Nuncio attempts to administer the last rites, Benedetta awakens, saying that she was in heaven and has seen the fates of all those present. The Nuncio has his men search the abbey for the wooden sex toy but they cannot find it. He opens a court of inquiry into Benedetta's conduct. When questioned, Bartolomea denies having sex, saying that she loves Benedetta as she does her other sisters. The Nuncio talks with Benedetta in private. As she washes his feet, she notices a flea, and realizes that he has likely brought the plague into the abbey.
Bartolomea is tortured by the Nuncio's men and finally confesses to her sexual activities and leads the Nuncio to the wooden dildo, hidden inside a book in Benedetta's chambers. He has Benedetta arrested but she once more begins speaking in a man's voice and lashes out at those who persecute her, announcing that the Nuncio will soon fall ill. The Nuncio discovers that Felicita has the plague and orders her condition hidden. Bartolomea is expelled from the abbey.
The day has arrived for Benedetta to be executed. She first asks to speak to Felicita to beg forgiveness. She tells Felicita that Christina is in heaven. A distraught Felicita asks Benedetta what she has seen of her future. Benedetta whispers something to her. The Nuncio is warned that the people of Pescia will not allow Benedetta to be executed, but he proceeds anyway. As Benedetta is led through the crowd, Bartolomea pushes her way to the front and begs forgiveness. Benedetta merely smiles at her and states she needed to be betrayed. In the town square, the Nuncio tells Benedetta that he will allow her to be strangled rather than burned at the stake if she confesses. Benedetta agrees.
Benedetta reveals new stigmata on her hands and begins speaking in a male voice, telling the crowd that the angel of death approaches. Felicita emerges from the crowd and doffs her robe, revealing plague sores. The Nuncio's men begin burning Benedetta at the stake, but the crowd attacks them, forcing them to flee. Bartolomea unties Benedetta but discovers a bloody potsherd at her feet. The Nuncio flees for safety, but is attacked and mortally wounded by a mob. Benedetta arrives and offers to pray for him. The Nuncio asks her if she saw whether he will go to heaven of hell. When she tells him he will go to heaven he accuses her of lying. Bartolomea hustles Benedetta away. Felicita steps on the pyre meant for Benedetta and is burned to death.
In an abandoned stable outside of town, Benedetta and Bartolomea awake, having spent the night together. Seeing Pescia in the distance, Benedetta begins dressing, saying that she has to return. Bartolomea begs her to stay, saying that they can finally be together and that they can go anywhere. She tries to get Benedetta to admit, just between them, that she faked her stigmata, but Benedetta refuses. Insisting that the people need her, Benedetta heads off towards Pescia.
A title card reveals that Benedetta lived in the abbey until her death at the age of 70 and that the plague spared Pescia.
Cast
Production
Development
Following the critical and commercial success of his previous film 'Elle' (2016), director Paul Verhoeven developed several projects, including one about Jesus based on his own book 'Jesus of Nazareth', another one about the French Resistance during World War II, and a third one scripted by Jean-Claude Carrire about a medieval story set in a monastery. On 25 April 2017, producer Sad Ben Sad revealed that the third had been the one chosen as Verhoeven's next project. The film, then titled 'Blessed Virgin', marked the producer and the director's second collaboration after 'Elle'. Gerard Soeteman, who has worked with Verhoeven on eight previous films including 'Turkish Delight' (1973), 'The Fourth Man' (1983) and 'Black Book' (2006), replaced Carrire to adapt the non-fiction book 'Immodest Acts: The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy' which was published in 1986 and written by historian Judith C. Brown. Soeteman ultimately distanced himself from the project and had his name removed from the credits as he felt too much of the story was focused on sexuality.Belgian actress Virginie Efira, who played a supporting part as a devout Catholic in 'Elle', was cast in the leading role of Benedetta Carlini, a 17th-century nun who suffers from disturbing religious and erotic visions. On 25 March 2018, Sad Ben Sad announced that Verhoeven had co-written the final draft with David Birke, who previously wrote 'Elle'. Judith C. Brown stated that "Paul Verhoeven and David Birke have written an imaginative and spellbinding script that explores the intersection of religion, sexuality, and human ambition in an age of plague and faith." Verhoeven then clarified his intentions:
On 3 April 2018, Lambert Wilson told French newspaper 'Le Journal du Dimanche' that he has a role in the film. On 1 May 2018, 'Deadline Hollywood' revealed that Charlotte Rampling entered negotiations to play a key supporting role. On 4 May 2018, it was announced that the film was retitled to 'Benedetta'. Although Verhoeven had hoped to convince Isabelle Huppert to play a supporting role in the film, producer Sad Ben Sad stated on 31 May 2018, that the actress was not joining the project. Ben Sad also confirmed that Louise Chevillotte, Olivier Rabourdin, Clotilde Courau and Herv Pierre had been cast in the film.
Filming
Principal photography on the retitled production began on 19 July 2018 in Montepulciano, Italy. Other locations included Val d'Orcia and Bevagna, also in Italy, as well as the Silvacane Abbey and Le Thoronet Abbey, in France. Production was followed by a strong campaign of secrecy and no one, unless working on the film, was allowed on the set. Producer Sad Ben Sad admitted that the story was "subject to controversy" and feared reactions from fundamentalist Catholic associations.Release
On 16 February 2018, 'The Hollywood Reporter' announced Path would be producing and distributing the film in France and would also be handling international sales. On 29 August 2018, Path and SBS Productions released a first look image of the film.
Although it was initially reported that the film would premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Path announced on 14 January 2019 that the release had been postponed until 2020, stating that post-production had been delayed as Verhoeven was recovering from hip surgery. However, the release was delayed again to 2021, following the cancellation of the 2020 edition of the Cannes Film Festival where the film was set to premiere, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 10 May 2020, Cannes director Thierry Fremaux confirmed the film's selection and stated that "Paul Verhoeven delivers an erotic and mischievous, also political, vision of the Middle Ages in a grandiose production."
'Benedetta'
On 5 May 2021, Path unveiled the first trailer and final theatrical release poster. That same month, MUBI and IFC Films acquired the distribution rights to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States respectively. It was released in the United States on 3 December 2021.
Reception
Box office
In its opening weekend, the film earned $136,839 from 201 theaters.Critical response
In France, the film averages 3.5/5 on AlloCin from 36 press reviews.On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average rating of . The website's critical consensus reads: "Precariously walking a tightrope of varying genres and tones, 'Benedetta' provokes salient questions about sexual freedom and its relationship to faith." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 73 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews."
Protests
At the 2021 New York Film Festival, where 'Benedetta' was part of the Main Slate, the Catholic group, The American TFP staged a protest targeting the film. The group denounced it as blasphemous for its portrayal of lesbianism within the confines of a convent. Upon the film's US commercial release, the film was once again protested by The American TFP as well as other Catholic groups throughout the country.The film was refused classification in Singapore by the Infocomm Media Development Authority due to portrayals of "the Jesus Christ and members of the church that is insensitive and offensive to the Christian and Catholic faith".
The film was banned in Russia by the Russian Ministry of Culture amid a complaint from the religious group Orthodox Forty Forties Movement.
Accolades
References
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