Benedetta

Faith, stigmata, religious patriarchy, forbidden desires, self-flagellation, suffering, punishment, power plays: Catholicism has it all. Nothing gives us as many story components as this religious institution, which has more scandals and a more colorful history than any other.

Paul Verhoeven, the octogenarian (he’s 82) Dutch-born director, remains one of world cinema’s most controversial filmmakers, a status reconfirmed by his latest feature, Benedetta, the most audacious movie to be seen at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. As an auteur, he is known for blending ultra-graphic violence and bold sexual contents, laced with a darkly humorous social satire.