- Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara
- Directed by Marco Bellocchio
- Written by Marco Bellocchio and Susanna Nicchiarelli, based on the book by Daniele Scalise
- Starring Paolo Pierobon, Leonardo Maltese and Enea Sala
- Opens in select theatres June 14
Critic’s Pick
Abuse of power comes as no surprise in Marco Bellocchio’s historical drama Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara. Based on a true story that spanned two decades, the new film boldly confronts the indelible damages inflicted by Pope Pius IX (Paolo Pierobon) as he sought to cement the legacy of the Catholic Church.
In 1858, papal soldiers seized six-year-old Edgardo Mortara from his Jewish family in Bologna after it was discovered he had been secretly baptized by his nurse as an infant. According to canon law, his indoctrination into Christianity branded him a child of Christ, meaning that he was to be raised as a Catholic in Rome.
The devastation that follows is heartbreaking. As Edgardo’s parents (played spectacularly by Fausto Russo Alesi and Barbara Ronchi) grapple with their recent tragedy, Edgardo (played by Enea Sala and later, Leonardo Maltese) silently assumes his role as political pawn. He appeases the papal bureaucracy by sealing himself off from his past and giving in to his new Catholic guardians, who convince him he has been saved.
Barbara Ronchi and Enea Sala play a mother and son at the centre of Kidnapped: The Abduction of Edgardo Mortara.ANNA CAMERLINGO/Mongrel Media
Fortunately, Bellocchio’s flair for melodrama is apt for a story wrapped so tightly in spectacle. As Pope Pius descends into dreams that reflect both his racism and desperation to maintain control, Edgardo escapes his own reality by experiencing dream-based interpretations of canon teachings. This use of surrealism succeeds at representing the mental gymnastics one needs to perform to accept these circumstances as normal – and Bellocchio is quick to remind audiences that the Mortara incident is anything but.
Too many movies on your to-watch list? Here are the best films of 2023
The pairing of Alesi and Ronchi as broken parents is flawless. Their heartsickness is often wordlessly conveyed, yet their outbursts – though rare – evoke a primal grief that accompanies deep loss. Somehow, their skills are matched by the young Sala, whose unassuming presence gets across Edgardo’s sense of naivety, which his keepers use to project their own prejudices. The pain woven through the Mortara family permeates each moment, delivering a sorrow that rivals only the rage incited by Pierobon as Pope Pius (a true villain).
A testament to the insidiousness of systemic abuse, Kidnapped illuminates the tragedy of unchecked power exploited by men. It upholds the importance of separating church and state, serving as a painful reminder that authoritarianism is a dangerous road soaked with the tears of its countless victims.
Special to The Globe and Mail