Rapito movie storyline. A Jewish boy is kidnapped and converted to Catholicism in 1858. The story of Edgardo Mortara, a young Jewish boy living in Bologna, Italy, who in 1858, after being secretly baptized, was forcibly taken from his family to be raised as a Christian. His parents’ struggle to free their son became part of a larger political battle that pitted the papacy against forces of democracy and Italian unification.
Rapito is a 2023 film directed by Marco Bellocchio, about the Edgardo Mortara case and starring Paolo Pierobon, Fausto Russo Alesi, Barbara Ronchi, Enea Sala, Leonardo Maltese, Filippo Timi, Fabrizio Gifuni, Andrea Gherpelli, Samuele Teneggi and Corrado Invernizzi. The screenplay was written by Marco Bellocchio and Susanna Nicchiarelli. The film wss released on May 31, 2024 in the United States by Cohen Media Group.
About the Story
1851. Edgardo Mortara is the sixth child of Salomone Mortara, known as “Momolo”, and Marianna Padovani, Jews from Bologna, a city at the time under the sovereignty of the Papal State. Believing him to be ill and dying, the Christian maid Anna Morisi secretly administers baptism to him, for fear that upon his death he will end up in limbo.
The child survives, but seven years later Anna tells Pier Feletti, head of the Bolognese office of the Inquisition, about the baptism: the sacrament would have made the child irrevocably Catholic, and since the rules of the Papal State prohibit a Christian from being raised by non-Christians , Feletti decides to take the child away from the family. On 24 June Edgardo Mortara was then seized by the pontifical police and taken to Rome, where he stayed in the Casa dei Catechumeni, the college intended for the children of converted Jews.
Edgardo’s parents do everything they can to draw public attention to the case, provoking the indignation of European and non-European intellectuals. However, this causes Pope Pius IX to take the matter to heart: the papacy is in fact in a moment of strong political crisis, in which the figure of the pontiff is losing prestige and authority.
Pius IX therefore opposed a firm reaction to all the accusations, personally taking care of Edgardo’s education and having him administer a second baptism which would dispel any doubts about his belonging to the Catholic Church. The child is therefore plagiarized and indoctrinated: he is made to believe that the whole thing is the parents’ fault and that the only way to return home is to become a perfect Christian.
Months after Edgardo’s arrival in Rome, Momolo and Marianna obtain permission to visit him. The members of the Roman Jewish community welcomed the two coldly, as they feared losing the privileges granted by the Pope due to the media outcry caused by the affair. Momolo therefore decides to treat Edgardo with detachment, contenting himself with finding him in good health; in front of Marianna.
However, the child bursts into tears and reveals to his mother that he still secretly recites the Shema Israel every night. Those responsible for Edgardo’s education therefore forbid any future visits, unless the entire family converts to Catholicism. The Mortaras refuse and organize an attempt to kidnap the child, which however is unsuccessful and causes the total loss of support from the Jews of Rome.
Rapito (2024)
Directed by: Marco Bellocchio
Starring: Paolo Pierobon, Fausto Russo Alesi, Barbara Ronchi, Enea Sala, Leonardo Maltese, Filippo Timi, Fabrizio Gifuni, Andrea Gherpelli, Samuele Teneggi, Corrado Invernizzi
Screenplay by: Marco Bellocchio, Susanna Nicchiarelli
Production Design by: Andrea Castorina
Cinematography by: Francesco Di Giacomo
Film Editing by: Francesca Calvelli, Stefano Mariotti
Costume Design by: Sergio Ballo, Daria Calvelli
Set Decoration by: Valeria Vecellio
Art Direction by: Domenico Dicillo, Laura Inglese, Blazej Wasiak
Music by: Fabio Massimo Capogrosso
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Cohen Media Group
Release Date: May 24, 2024
Visits: 10
