2023 | 135 min | Historical Drama | Italy | Italian with English subtitles

CAST Paolo Pierobon, Fausto Russo Alesi, Barbara Ronchi, Leonardo Maltese

1858, the Jewish quarter of Bologna. The Pope’s soldiers burst into the home of the bourgeoisie Mortara family: by order of the cardinal (Filippo Timi), they have come to take six-year-old Edgardo (Enea Sala) to Rome. Unbeknownst to his parents Momolo (Fausto Russo Alesi) and Marianna (Barbara Ronchi), Edgardo had been secretly baptised by his nurse as a baby and the papal law is unquestionable: he must receive a Catholic education, thus, his parents must either convert or lose him forever. The Motara’s struggles to have their son returned soon takes a political dimension, driven by the support of public opinion and the international Jewish community, but the Church and ultimately Pope Pius IX (Paolo Pierobon) himself stand resolute in the face of criticism, aiming to consolidate their increasingly wavering power... 

Renowned for engaging with the social and political contradictions of Italian identity, Bellochio’s powerful and operatic new film probes historical antisemitism and the arbitrary exercises of influence by the pre-unification Church. After its lauded Cannes debut KIDNAPPED has reignited debate in Italy, where the actions of Pius IX – who was beatified in the year 2000 - have never been officially condemned.

WINNER

Best Italian Film of the Year

WINNER

Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor - Nastri D’Argento Awards 2023

WINNER

Best Film, Best Screenplay - Valladolid International Film Festival 2023

WINNER

Best Film - Italian Golden Globes 2023