Benedetta Movie Storyline. The events in the Benedetta occur in the 17th century. The main character is Benedetta Carlini who is an Italian nun in the abbey of a convent in Tuscany. She was considered to be mystical and venerated by her religious entourage, and finally Benedetta was arrested and judged for sapphism.
Benedetta is a 2021 French and Dutch biographical 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. Other starring are Lambert Wilson, Daphne Patakia, Charlotte Rampling, Olivier Rabourdin, Clotilde Courau, David Clavel, Hervé Pierre, Louise Chevillotte, Guilaine Londez and Lauriane Riquet.
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 Saïd Ben Saïd, writer David Birke, composer Anne Dudley and editor Job ter Burg.
Although it was initially reported that the film would premiere at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, Pathé 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.” On June 3, 2020, Fremaux confirmed the film is scheduled to premiere at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival in competition for the Palme d’Or.
Principal photography on the retitled production began on July 19, 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, were allowed on the set. Producer Saïd Ben Saïd admitted that the story was a “subject to controversy” and feared reactions from fundamentalist Catholic associations.
Benedetta (2021)
Directed by: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Virginie Efira, Lambert Wilson, Daphne Patakia, Charlotte Rampling, Olivier Rabourdin, Clotilde Courau, David Clavel, Hervé Pierre, Louise Chevillotte, Guilaine Londez, Lauriane Riquet
Screenplay by: David Birke, Paul Verhoeven
Production Design by: Katia Wyszkop
Cinematography by: Jeanne Lapoirie
Film Editing by: Job ter Burg
Costume Design by: Pierre-Jean Larroque
Art Direction by: Eric Bourges
Music by: Anne Dudley
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Pathé Distribution (France), IFC Films (United States)
Release Date: July 9, 2021 (Cannes), July 9, 2021 (France), December 3, 2021 (United States)
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