Federico is a young soldier, who is seduced – just like his twin brother, a priest – by Sister Benedetta, a noblewoman forced into a convent. The nun is convicted and walled up alive in the ancient prisons in Bobbio where, centuries later, another Federico would arrive. The man, who claims to be an inspector from a ministry, discovers that a mysterious count is living in the building. But only at night.
screenplay
Marco Bellocchio
cinematography
Daniele Ciprì
editing
Francesca Calvelli
Claudio Misantoni
music
Carlo Crivelli
production design
Andrea Castorina
costumes
Daria Calvelli
cast
Roberto Herlitzka
Pier Giorgio Bellocchio
Lidiya Liberman
Fausto Russo Alesi
Alba Rohrwacher
Federica Fracassi
Alberto Cracco
Bruno Cariello
Toni Bertorelli
Filippo Timi
Elena Bellocchio
Ivan Franek
Patrizia Bettini
Sebastiano Filocamo
Alberto Bellocchio
producers
Simone Gattoni
Beppe Caschetto
co-producers
Fabio Conversi
Tiziana Soudani
Gabriella De Gara
productions
Kavac Film
Ibc Movie
con Rai Cinema
co-productions
Barbary Films
Amka Film
Rsi – Radiotelevisione svizzera
“The film was inspired by the chance discovery of the ancient prisons in Bobbio, and it gave me the idea for the story of Benedetta, a nun walled up alive in the prison/convent of Santa Chiara in Bobbio. I felt that this story that had reemerged from such a distant past deserved a second look in present-day Italy, and more precisely Italy as it is reflected in a town, Bobbio, that has been erased by modernity and globalization.” (Marco Bellocchio)
In 1959, Marco Bellocchio (Piacenza, 1939), broke off his studies in philosophy at Milan’s Cattolica University to move to Rome to study at the CSC – National Film School. In 1961-1962, he made the short films Abbasso lo zio, La colpa e la pena and Ginepro fatto uomo, then moved again, to London, to attend the Slade School of Fine Arts. His feature directorial debut, Fists in the Pocket, won the Silver Sail at Locarno in 1965 and thrust Bellocchio into the international spotlight. In 2011, he received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival. Dozens of retrospectives of his films have been held all over the world, including the one at MOMA in New York in 2014, for his 50th anniversary in film, another at the 43rd La Rochelle Film Festival, and yet another at the British Film Institute in London in 2018. In 2021, he was awarded the Palme d’Or for Lifetime Achievement at Cannes. Since 2014, Bellocchio has been the president of the Cineteca di Bologna.
2023 Rapito
2022 Esterno notte
2021 Marx può aspettare (doc)
2019 Il traditore
2016 Fai bei sogni
2015 Sangue del mio sangue
2012 Bella Addormentata
2011 Sorelle Mai
2009 Vincere
2006 Sorelle
2005 Il regista di matrimoni
2004 Buongiorno, Notte
2002 Addio del passato
2002 L’ora di religione
1999 La balia
1996 Il principe di Homburg
1994 Il sogno della farfalla
1990 La condanna
1988 La visione del Sabba
1986 Diavolo in corpo
1984 Enrico IV
1982 Gli occhi, la bocca
1980 Salto nel vuoto
1980 Vacanze in Val Trebbia (doc)
1977 Il Gabbiano
1976 Marcia trionfale
1974 Matti da slegare,
(with Silvano Agosti,
Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli)
1972 Sbatti il mostro in prima pagina
1971 Nel nome del padre
