A 17th-century nun becomes entangled in a forbidden lesbian affair with a novice. But it is Benedetta’s shocking religious visions that threaten to shake the Church to its core.

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• Sister Benedetta Carlini: Virginie Efira
• Sister Felicita: Charlotte Rampling
• Bartolomea: Daphné Patakia
• Nuncio: Lambert Wilson
• Alfonso Cecchi: Olivier Rabourdin
• Sister Christina: Louise Chevillotte
• Paolo Ricordati: Hervé Pierre
• Midea Carlini: Clotilde Courau
• Giuliano Carlini: David Clavel
• Sister Jacopa: Guilaine Londez
• Sister Petra: Gaëlle Jeantet
• Sister Juliana: Justine Bachelet
• Sister Roasanna: Lauriane Riquet
• Young Benedetta: Eléna Plonka
• Christina enfant: Héloïse Bresc
• Jésus-Christ: Jonathan Couzinié
• Doctor: Vinciane Millereau
• Secretary: Jérôme Chappatte
• Executioner: Ewan Ribard
• Writer: Nicolas Béguinot
• Mercenary Dragon: Satya Dusaugey
• Captain of the Mercenaries: Nicolas Gaspar
• Captain of Soldiers: Benjamin Penemaria
• Lieutenant: Antoine Lelandais
• Shepherd: Frédéric Sauzay
• Novice: Sophie Breyer
• Young Novice: Célia Kaci
• Sister Giulia: Alexia Chardard
• Passerby: Sébastien Chabane
• Merchant: Boris Gillot
• Teenager from Pescia #1: Léa Lopez
• Teenager from Pescia #2: Olga Milshtein
• Flagellant: Pascal Le Corre
• Plague Victim: Raphaël Potier
• Resident of Pescia: Philippe Saunier
• City Resident: Fabrice Cals
• Villager (uncredited): Quentin D’Hainaut

Film Crew:

• Original Music Composer: Anne Dudley
• Director: Paul Verhoeven
• Executive Producer: Conchita Airoldi
• Sound Mixer: Jean-Paul Mugel
• Director of Photography: Jeanne Lapoirie
• Production Design: Katia Wyszkop
• Co-Producer: Frans van Gestel
• Visual Effects Director: Alain Carsoux
• Producer: Saïd Ben Saïd
• Producer: Jérôme Seydoux
• Co-Producer: Teun Hilte
• Associate Producer: Job ter Burg
• Script Consultant: Pascal Bonitzer
• Casting: Stéphane Batut
• Screenplay: David Birke
• Co-Producer: Arnold Heslenfeld
• Key Makeup Artist: Laura Ozier
• Hairstylist: Véronique Boslé
• Costume Design: Pierre-Jean Larroque
• Special Effects Makeup Artist: Olivier Afonso
• ADR Supervisor: Katia Boutin
• Foley Artist: Philippe Penot
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Guillaume Le Gouez
• Producer: Michel Merkt
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Cyril Holtz
• Special Effects Makeup Artist: Guillaume Castagné
• Co-Producer: Laurette Schillings
• Key Hair Stylist: Mathieu Guéraçague
• Makeup Artist: Christine Giugno
• Assistant Art Director: Thierry Poulet
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Damien Lazzerini
• Makeup Artist: Valérie Chapelle
• Key Makeup Artist: Odile Fourquin
• Makeup Artist: Amélie Bouilly
• Associate Producer: Kevin Chneiweiss
• Book: Judith C. Brown
• Assistant Foley Artist: Florian Penot
• Special Effects Makeup Artist: Floris Schuller
• Boom Operator: Damien Luquet
• Sound Supervisor: Alexis Place
• Makeup Artist: Karine Atalla
• Assistant Makeup Artist: Veronica Beffa
• Makeup Artist: Panos Kondylis
• Visual Effects Coordinator: Marion Frelat
• Hairstylist: Francesca Piani
• Special Effects Makeup Artist: Frédéric Lainé
• Makeup Artist: Marine Tesson
• Co-Producer: Fabrice Delville
• Set Designer: Thomas Lechevallier
• Co-Producer: Christophe Toulemonde
• Sound Editor: Charles de Ville
• Co-Producer: Patrick Vandenbosch
• Associate Producer: Kateryna Merkt
• Art Direction: Eric Bourges
• Assistant Makeup Artist: Sara Cattani
• Special Effects Makeup Artist: Céline Llerena
• ADR Editor: Margot Saada
• Foley Editor: Jules Laurin
• Assistant Sound Editor: Antoine Citrinot
• Special Effects Makeup Artist: Alexandra Moulié
• Key Hair Stylist: Virginie Duranteau
• Makeup Artist: Priscilla Baratiny
• Assistant Makeup Artist: Stefania Piovesan
• Makeup Artist: Diego Avolio
• Visual Effects Coordinator: Ayelen Camiña
• Visual Effects: Emilia Napame
• Hairstylist: France Rossi
• Set Dresser: Sophie Martel
• Additional Camera: Andrea Grossi
• Special Effects Makeup Artist: Antoine Delannoy
• Assistant Makeup Artist: Eleonora Dessi
• Makeup Trainee: Justine Landais

Movie Reviews:

• CinemaSerf: After living in a nunnery in Pescia since her youth, “Benedetta” (Virginie Efira) has visions that lead her to believe that she is speaking directly to Jesus. A somewhat sceptical Mother Superior (Charlotte Rampling) and her fellow nun “Christina” (Louise Cevillotte) have doubts, but those are not shared by an all-too-willing clergy and soon the young woman is the new Abbess. Simultaneously, the nunnery takes in the young “Bartolomea” (Daphne Patakia) from a torrid and violent relationship with her father and the two women become fast friends – with benefits! When the erstwhile Abbess flees to seek the intervention of the Papal Nuncio (Lambert Wilson) the full power of the church now confronts “Benedetta” – is she really a conduit from their Saviour, or is she no more than a fraud with “bestial” tendencies? The film looks stunning, the attention to the detail is excellent and Paul Verhoeven manages to delicately weave a story that demonstrates just how naive and gullible folks were in the 17th century; how fearful they were of god – and more importantly, the church and he uses the symbolism of the stigmata and of the crown of thorns to illustrate successfully the profound nature of deeply-held attitudes held by a largely ignorant, superstitious, population – especially as the plague approaches their city. It is based in fact, so the ending has limited scope for jeopardy; but Efira is superb in the role as are Cevilotte and Rampling – whose position as the story develops becomes quite an intriguing tightrope act. Sex features prominently, but none of it is gratuitous or seamy – it seems perfectly natural until used as a means of torture (and not in any kinky way!). Was she a charlatan? I know what I think…