Paul Verhoeven is not off cinematic radars. Robocop, Basic Instinct and Elle are a few of his auteur signatures which have taken viewers to enjoy and appreciate cinema as a medium for transgressive and beyond routine depictions. Benedetta, to be released in a week, is of the same calibre and artistic creation. Adopted based on Judith C. Brown’s Immodest Act, the story of the film takes us back to 17th century Italy and story of an enigmatic nun starring Virginia Eferia who creates havoc in Pescia and her covenant by desiring , acting different and challenging the established order passionately and in the most conniving manner. The film could be a poignant commentary on sexuality, Christianity and the complexity of humankind, but equally a reminder of what it means to live beyond the ordinary as we struggle with the blow of COVID pandemic.
The film presents a multitude of characters. In the constructed cinematic space, they create so much tension, desire to follow their fates and epiphany to revisit religious zeal and erotic desires simultaneously. Benedetta is in love with Jesus, her bride. She has visions that connect her to him; but are they for real? Is she a manipulative nun in search of eliminating rivals or a deranged fanatic who is blind even to the reality of fate? Bartolomea starring Daphne Patakia is a victim of an incestuous relationship, Benedetta lustful lover and in a twist, the character who betrays, rejoin and loses her eventually. Felicita starring Charlotte Rampling is an authority abbess who loses power and ultimately perishes by plague. Christina starring Lousie Chevillotte and Nuncio starring Lamborb Wilson are part of these web of fatal relationship and intrigues who eventually are succumbed to death for stepping over and trying to bring an order to a chaotic worlds of the church and repressed intimacy between Benedetta and Bartolomea. In a nutshell, as the film is an emotional rollercoaster to watch, all characters are so complex that it leaves judgement and taking sides very difficult. In the Verhoeven world, subject truths can coexist, and perspectives could intermingle without monopolization of one over the other.
On a deeper level, one can view these characters, their development, demise and triumph as narration of the universal tension between individual and the state/religion, the temporal and sacral and the Dionysian and Apollonian tendencies of humanity and social settings. Benedetta shows otherworldly powers. She seems to connect to the Lord and the saviour, though the ending leaves us to wonder whether she truly has those tendencies. Her desire for Bartolomea is not tolerated and accepted but materialized. They (Verhoeven) do not shy away from breaking codes and even transgressing with sacred embodiments and symbols. The lesbian scenes and the use of dildo breaks taboos not of believers and status quo of the bygone religious era, but the contemporary period in which sexuality and same-sex desires are still admonished in part of the Christian faith. Ironically, in a couple of surreal scenes, it seems that their flesh transgression against the repressive forces of Christianity are not too adversarial. Jesus crave for Benedetta’s body though in blood, saves her off demons (snakes) and absent when her companion gets raped for not confessing and by her father. The message is not overly clear. Nevertheless, the audience could realize the nuances of the dynamic in which religion seeds to the temporal while not being totally erased off social grid. These aspects could be also viewed on how Verhoeven centers the role of authority and the transient nature of power. The church is in fact in no place to help with the spread of Plague, even as Nuncio is the agent that brings it to Pescia. In the same vein, the church and its figureheads are unable to stop the two female protagonists to stop loving and desiring themselves despite the weight of the tradition.
The formal aspect of the film deserves attention as well. The religious music of Stravinsky’s King Roger and Von Blingen convey the sense of religiosity and set the tone for the upheaval to come. Bergman is present especially in the plague scenes as the handheld camera of Jeanne Lapoire (director of photography) depicts the suffering and the torment of the people and papal authorities. The adaptation is faithful even though some changes, such as the uprising scene at the end, have been added. Acting ensemble are all superb in their roles. Virgine Efira comments that she felt at ease about her role after Verhoeven told her to “Don’t feel guilty about your desires.” Arguably, the sex, suicide and surreal scenes are easy to the eyes, considering the flawless editing of Job Ter Burg.
Benedetta’s strength is not only in provoking us to revisit historical events and personal tragedies; it could be directors final homage to depict the role of religion (any relevance in the modern world) and its historical impact on our psyche; or more likely to allow us to believe in the miracle and blasphemous nature of cinema to depict human and art’s ambiguity, complexity and immense role of erotic desires.
Grade: A-