Sex, power, plague and the Church collide in Verhoeven’s barnburner of a historical drama, based on real events. In 17th-century Tuscany, a sheltered nobleman’s daughter who experiences overpowering visions takes vows to become a nun. Devout and obedient, Benedetta (Virginie Efira) only occasionally brushes up against her abbess’s (Charlotte Rampling) warning that “intelligence can be dangerous.” But when a coarse and carnal novice enters the convent, Benedetta finds herself obsessed, and their relationship quickly grows physical—threatening to destroy everything around them. An IFC Films release.
“Wild, intelligent, pulsating, provocative and vibrantly alive.” – Todd McCarthy, Deadline
"The carnal Catholicism which permeates the film is...to be expected...but equally so is the film's ability to utilize eroticism as a vehicle to examine pain, paranoia and power." Natalia Keogan, Paste Magazine