2023-10-25 15:57:00
IMarco Bellocchio is in great shape. At 83, his eyes are worse than ever and his mind is occupied by several upcoming projects, the director of PARTY (2009) never ceases to amaze us. Only one year after the presentation on the CroisetteOutside at nighthis extraordinary series on the kidnapping of Aldo Moro (broadcast on Arte), he comes back in competition with another gene: this time, that of a six-year-old Jewish boy in 19th century Bologna. Along with Rapture which is based on a news article, the Italian director takes as a starting point, as always in his films, an intimate story, to examine the institution – here, the Catholic Church and the pontifical power – under the sieve of an uncompromising view that decide. .
In 1858, in Bologna, the Catholic Church took Edgardo Mortara, a six-year-old boy from his family, because he had been baptized without his parents’ knowledge. At the time, the matter caused quite a stir. Caricatures of Popes flourish in print; The United States and Napoleon III strongly condemned it. The little boy, who was brought to Rome to the pope, was converted by force, received a forced education, and ended up having his body carried away by worship. Meanwhile, Pius IX, tormented by terrible nightmares, thought that the Rabbis entered his room in the middle of the night to instruct him…
It must be said that there is something to tremble about. Italian unification was underway and papal power was retained. Therefore, we follow the small story and the big story that are connected with each other, the family that fights (in vain) in the face of the conflict of the pope, trying to strengthen his power that is slowly fading in the perspective more free people.
“The fate of these Jewish converts has been forgotten”
“It’s a very instructive episode of Italian history,” said Marco Bellocchio. Of course, we know about the reception of Rome at Porta Pia, but the fate of these Jewish children, who were converted and incorporated into the Church, is forgotten. I found a book from a conservative Catholic who, to defend the truth of Montara’s conversion, included a short biography of the child in which he assured that no one had forced him or harmed him, that he had absolute freedom to choose… this story is very touching and by the barbarity that comes out of it, directly in medieval times. » This Italian story is told through the eyes of the child, who passes from the mother’s robes to those of the Pope, and his mind is changing between the fear of leaving his family and the attraction of dogma.
“Jewish teenage girls were also arrested, but some rebelled and refused to be baptized. Small children are more vulnerable. Edgardo managed to save his life, but not his life. “Using the image of chiaroscuro like no one else, Marco Bellocchio, who accompanied his baroque melodrama with thunderous music, gave the best fresco – the photo is the best – a true appeal to all manners of fanaticism .
So what will the master do once he returns home to Italy? “I promise, my next work will not be related to kidnapping,” laughed the filmmaker. But I will definitely practice to the prison team…”
“The Delivery” is another one today.
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