Rapito (aka Kidnapped: The Abduction Of Edgardo Mortara) (2023)

In 1851 Italy, a six year old year Jewish boy (Enea Sala) is forcibly taken away from his parents (Fausto Russo Alesi, Barbara Ronchi) by the Catholic church because he was secretly baptized by a family servant (Aurora Camatti) and therefore is considered Catholic and cannot be raised by Jews. Based on the non fictional book IL CASO MORTARA by Daniele Scalise and directed by Marco Bellocchio (CHINA IS NEAR). Historically, the Catholic church has many egregious sins to account for from the Inquisition to shielding pedophile priests. This infamous incident is just one other blot on their history. Bellocchio's film is a masterful telling of the real life case from the abduction to the boy's indoctrination (or is it brainwashing?) into the Catholic church to his becoming a priest and ends with the death of his mother. The church as a fascist political faction does not go ignored. Of course, there is some creative license taken as with all non documentary films on a real life subject or incident but the facts remain explicit. A stunning film that should have been better known in the U.S. and worth checking out. At one time, Steven Spielberg was interested in making a film about Mortara. With Leonardo Maltese as the adult Edgardo, Paolo Pierobon and Fabrizio Gifuni.