A pope’s audacious act tears the Catholic Church and all of Italy apart in this gripping true story.

In 19th-century Bologna, papal law is sacred. So when Pope Pius IX, racked with poisonous paranoia and insidious antisemitic beliefs, attempts to shore up his crumbling power base by ordering the kidnapping of six-year-old Edgardo, the child’s Jewish family is powerless to resist. The justification? Edgardo’s Catholic nurse had him baptised in secret, making him Catholic and thus a ward of the Church. But the pope’s appalling action eventually sparks a campaign for the boy’s return that will reshape Italy and the world.

Bowing in competition at Cannes, this absorbing historical drama from revered writer/director Marco Bellocchio (The Traitor; Blood of My Blood, MIFF 2016) proves that, more than half a century into his career, the octogenarian still has an unwavering eye and a stellar command of operatic flourish. Few filmmakers are as willing to pick over the bones of their country’s darkest hours, but with this story of dogma and the fanatical lengths some will go to maintain influence, he does so with flair – and actor Paolo Pierobon’s impressive turn as the troubled pope only augments this unsparing retelling of history.

“A classic in the making … A full-tilt melodrama with the passionate vehemence of Victor Hugo or Charles Dickens. Five stars.” – The Guardian