Benedetta: In The Shade Film Festival Review

Benedetta: Film Review

Cast: Virginie Efira, Charlotte Rampling, Daphne Patakia, Lambert Wilson

Director: Paul Verhoeven

Based on a true story, notorious director Paul Verhoeven's latest, a tale of a lesbian affair involving two nuns, is nowhere near as salacious as you'd think it would be - especially given Verhoeven's flair for lingering shots on women in various stages of undress.

French actress Efira plays Benedetta, a nun in the small Italian province of Pescia, who begins her life as a young girl wanting to go into the local convent, the Convent of the Mother of God, run by Charlotte Rampling's Abbess.

When her father manages to buy her way in to the Convent, Benedetta early on learns the strict ways of the Abbess as she tells her "Your worst enemy is your body." But things come to a head as Benedetta starts to experience visions of Jesus coming to her as her husband, and when she forms a friendship with cast out Bartolomea (Patakia) which grows into lust and lasciviousness.

There's no discounting the fact that Verhoeven flirts with as much religious imagery in Benedetta as he does with the functions of the body. From early shots of birds pooping in someone's eye to showmen lighting their wind on fire, through to lingering close ups during sex scenes and full frontal nudity, Verhoeven's not afraid to push the envelope as far as he could go. An astonishing sequence with snakes and Benedetta and Jesus is utterly enthralling, yet feels wildly restrained for the provocateur.

And while the religious imagery and issues form a large part of this film, it's actually in the more emotionally engaging head to head battle and powerplay that Benedetta has with the Abbess that the film delivers more heft. Thanks to a ferocious Rampling, whose nuances make her nun enthralling to watch, the film's meat is actually more in the psychological warfare.

Efira is fine in the role, but not quite strong enough to be commanding, though in retrospect that's probably more what the film needs as her nun battles stigmata, trust issues and desire on her arc. Her mysterious visions are never questioned and feel like the film's not sure if she's telling the truth or not - but the ambiguity is intriguing - and seems to push more for revelations about the world around her.

Benedetta may occasionally falter in its overlong run time, but it's never less than engaging.