Benedetta is a 2021 French/Belgian/Dutch biographical film directed by Paul Verhoeven. The cast includes Virginie Efira, Daphne Patakia, Charlotte Rampling and Lambert Wilson.
Benedetta Carlini (Efira) is a nun at a Theatine convent in 17th century Italy. Since she was a child, she has been able to communicate with the Virgin Mary and Jesus, and is committed to her role as a bride of Christ. Her life is upended when a runaway girl, Bartolomea (Patakia), joins the convent to escape her abusive family, and the two fall in love.
Tropes:
- Artistic License – History: The story is only vaguely connected to the historical facts known of Benedetta, with many incidents unsupported by any evidence (the finale especially).
- Benedetta was elected (according to the standard procedure) by the other nuns as abbess, not appointed with her predecessor forcibly removed.
- It was actually the other nuns and the provost who were skeptical of Benedetta, not the prior abbess, while two investigations of her occurred not just one.
- Benedetta insisted all her sexual encounters with Bartholomea happened when she was in a trance (granted, that may have been a lie).
- There's no evidence the pear of anguish was ever used for torture (its use is unclear) nor Bartholomea was tortured.
- There's no evidence she was ever sentenced to death, and especially not rescued because the townsfolk wouldn't stand for it, nor that the nuncio was killed. Exactly what happened isn't clear, but evidence indicates that she was imprisoned for the rest of her life in the convent. Bartholomea also remained as a nun, evidence indicates, rather than having left like the film shows.
- Bittersweet Ending: Benedetta stays in Pescia, at the cost of her relationship with Bartolomea. Pescia is ultimately unharmed by the Black Death thanks to the divine presence of Benedetta (possibly).
- The Black Death: The plague is ravaging Italy, but the small town of Pescia, where the story is set, is protected from it thanks to Benedetta's divine presence (possibly).
- Brother–Sister Incest: Bartolomea mentions that her brothers liked to use her when their father wasn't looking.
- Cold-Blooded Torture: Bartolomea is tortured (explicitly with a pear of anguish
and presumably some other things offscreen) to get her to confess to her relationship with Benedetta. - Comet of Doom: A comet appears above the monastery and people are afraid that it's a sign of God's judgement. Benedetta, however declares that the comet actually means that God will spare Pescia from the plague.
- Divine Date: Benedetta appears to take her role as a "bride of Christ" more literally than usual, with scenes of him in her visions often quite erotic.
- Driven to Suicide:
- After Christina fails to bring down Benedetta and is publicly humiliated, she kills herself by jumping off the roof of the convent.
- Felicita, who is already dying from the plague, steps on the pyre originally meant for Benedetta and is burned to death.
- Hands-On Approach: Benedetta teaches Bartolomea to write numbers by taking her hand and guiding it, which leads to things getting heated between them.
- Loved I Not Honor More: At the end, Bartolomea suggests to Benedetta that they run away together. Benedetta refuses due to her duty to God (also raising the valid point that they are unlikely to survive outside the convent) and abandons Bartolomea to return to Pescia so she can save everyone from the plague.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: It's strongly implied that Benedetta may be a fraud with her stigmata due to self-inflicted wounds, knowing or not. She insists however that any wounds inflicted were done while in a trance and with the method Jesus used for providing them, with the truth left uncertain.
- Ms. Fanservice: Benedetta and Batolomea both are not only beautiful but they have several scenes in which they're shown naked, including while having sex together.
- Naughty Nuns: Bartolomea makes for quite a mischievous novice and she makes advances at Benedetta starting from the day they meet. Benedetta is intrigued but hesitates. Eventually the two enter an emotional and physical relationship.
- Parental Incest: Bartolomea's father took her as his wife against her will when her mother passed away.
- The Peeping Tom: Felicita spies on Benedetta and Bartolomea through a hole she cut in the wall to Benedetta's room (which was formerly hers), therefore learning that they're lovers since she watches while they have sex.
- Rape as Backstory: The reason Bartolomea ran away from her father and joined the convent was because he repeatedly raped her, making her his "wife" after her mother died of the plague. Her brothers also raped her at times.
- Seeking Sanctuary: Bartolomea is introduced desperately seeking refuge in the convent to escape her abusive father.
- Taking the Veil: Benedetta was promised to God after she nearly died as a baby and made a miraculous recovery, leading to her becoming a novice at a very young age. Bartolomea becomes a novice to escape an abusive home life and doesn't seem entirely serious about it.
- Toilet Humour: Benedetta shows Bartolomea where to find the latrine late in the night. When Bartolomea exclaims in relief while doing her business and Benedetta tells her they're not allowed to speak at this hour, Bartolomea farts and remarks with a grin that she hopes that's not forbidden.
