BLOOD OF MY BLOOD/ SANGUE DEL MIO SANGUE

Italy, 2015, 106 minutes, Colour.
Roberto Herlitzka, Pier Giorgio Bellocchio, Alba Rohrmacher, Lidiya Lieberman, Federica Fracassi, Fausto Russo Alessi.
Directed by Marco Bellocchio.

Italian Dir, Marco Bellocchio, has had a long career, since the 1960s. His films have covered a wide range of Italian stories, including politics and, sometimes, the Catholic Church. These include his film about the abduction and killing of older Moro, Buongiorno, Notte, and his story of the Vatican and questions of canonisations in L’Ora? della Religione.

There are two parts in this story, the first takes place in the 17th century, in Inquisition story, the trial of a young man who is alleged to have had an affair with a priest who has killed himself. The brother of the priest arrives for the court case, meets the Inquisitors as well is the nuns of the convent of the accused. He stays in lodgings with two sisters – with sexual consequences.

The Inquisitors are very severe, the nun standing up to them, being found guilty and being walled-up.

This takes place in the town of Bobbio, which is the setting for the second story, a 21st-century story. A wealthy Russian man is interested in buying the premises of the old convent from a reclusive count and becomes involved with agents organising the sale. The film shows contemporary Italian society, aspects of greed and deceit, and violence.

The film focuses on the man himself, his way of life in secrecy, is coming out into the open, his collapse, his encounters, his death.

There is very little apparent connection between the two stories.

However, there is a vindication of the nun when the wall is shown to be broken down and she walks out, still young and live despite her imprisonment.

1. Two Italian stories, the juxtaposition, into cutting, the effect?

2. The director, his long career, Italian issues? Continued focus on religion and the Catholic Church?

3. The Bobbio setting, 17th century, the cloister, the interiors, corridors and cells, the court, the Chapel? The story of interiors? The 21st century city, modern, the old prison, the hotel?

4. The musical score, the range of choirs, the songs and atmosphere?

5. Rico, his arrival at the convent, his point of view? His life, his grieving mother, his brother the priest, the affair with Benedetta? Accusations of Satanism and witchcraft? The role of the Inquisition? The explanation of the tests, water and fire? The nuns, sinister atmosphere, yet the young choir? The scenes in the garden? Benedetta, age, the affair, defiant, the torture, the hearing of her case, the interactions with Federico? The condemnation, her being walled up?

6. Federico, attending, with the Inquisitor? With Benedetta, defiance? At home with two sisters, sexually starved, the effect of the interactions with him, the bedroom scenes?

7. The 17th-century story resuming, the visit of the cardinal, the chaplain, the rituals, the distribution of communion, Benedetta walled up, her feet and the mess, the face? The blindfold of the workers, beating down the wall? Her emerging naked, beautiful, a free spirit? The officials on the floor, dead?

8. The 21st century, the tax inspector and the Russian millionaire, fraud, planning to buy the prison, turned it into a resort? Issues of money? The scenes of the hotel, the agent and his deals, his having been in prison?

9. The prison, inside, the visitors, the guardian of the count?

10. The counts wife, a complaint about his disappearance?

11. The count, dressing, old, going out, meeting with the buyer, the discussions, the bargain? His hold over him? The tax man, planning bargains, disappointed? The Russian?

12. The old man, watching people, the receptionist at the hotel, the young lovers, going up the steps, his collapse and death?

13. Each story in itself, the city of Bobbio in common? But the links with the stories?