“Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara” was one of the highest-rated audience films at the recent Sedona International Film Festival and a top contender for the Best Feature and Best International Film Awards. The film is returning to Sedona by popular demand as it is making its theatrical debut worldwide.
The latest by legendary Italian director Marco Bellocchio is a grand, historical fresco depicting the scandalous true story of a young Jewish child who, in mid-19th century Bologna, was abducted from his family by the church under the Pope’s orders.
In 1858, in the Jewish quarter of Bologna, the Pope’s soldiers burst into the home of the Mortara family. By order of the cardinal, they have come to take Edgardo, their seven-year-old son. The child had been secretly baptized by his nurse as a baby, and the papal law is unquestionable: he must receive a Catholic education.
Edgardo’s parents, distraught, will do anything to get their son back. Supported by public opinion and the international Jewish community, the Mortaras' struggle quickly takes on a political dimension, all against the backdrop of the riveting true events that shook the world.
“Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara” brings to life this incredible story based on actual events of faith, family, and a relentless battle against the powers of the Church and the Pope.
"An engaging and fascinating film." — The Hollywood Reporter
"A sweeping epic, based on real events." — Edge Media Network
"A gripping, heartbreaking true-political crime story." — The Guardian
"Jaw-dropping." — Screen Daily