Nuns vs. The Vatican exposes a scandal that’s growing in momentum inside the Catholic Church, from Emmy-winning director Lorena Luciano and executive producer Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU).
The multiple waves of rape allegations against Catholic priests can make onlookers feel numb. Nuns vs. the Vatican is a thunderous wake-up call with its courageous reporting that focuses on the long-ignored victimization of nuns. Emmy-winning filmmakers Lorena Luciano and Filippo Piscopo join forces with executive producers Trish Adlesic and Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, I Am Evidence) to chronicle a growing movement for justice.
A key figure in this exposé is the former nun Gloria who broke 30 years of silence to bring allegations against the prominent Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik in what remains an ongoing case. His work as a renowned mural artist gave him powerful allies at the Vatican. To date, more than 30 other nuns have accused Rupnik of abuse while he remains an active priest living near Rome.
Catholic nuns take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience that made them exceedingly vulnerable to exploitation, isolation, and secrecy. As reports of abuse trickled out, the Vatican repeatedly failed to take meaningful action.
We meet inspiring individuals who are fighting to hold the church accountable. They include Lucetta Scaraffia, who resigned from the Vatican’s women’s magazine over pushback to her coverage of nun abuse; Italian journalist Federica Tourn, who pieces together testimonies; and American activist Barbara Dorris, who crusades for victims. With a men-centred hierarchy in the church, women scarcely get a voice in setting policy. Dorris laments that the church has consistently framed abuse as a homosexual issue in a way that women victims are made to disappear. This stirring documentary throws a bright light on dark secrets.
THOM POWERS
Content advisory: sexual assault
Screenings
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