the holy boy

Remis isn’t called the happiest village in Italy for nothing: sadness is unknown here, and the locals are, almost aggressively, friendly – even to outsiders like Sergio, who has just arrived as a substitute teacher to the remote little town. But from the very first moment, Sergio senses that something uncanny is going on. What is this strange ritual everyone gathers for each week? And what role does the shy teenager Matteo play in it? Sergio uncovers a sinister tradition whose origins are never questioned – and whose price he will soon pay himself. Not everyone who smiles has good intentions.

Paolo Strippoli’s unsettling tale begins gently but steadily drives toward a cascade of violence and shocks, captured in magnificent images and underscored by an overwhelming soundtrack. THE HOLY BOY blends folk horror with existential topics, posing questions about guilt, giving, and taking. This is multifaceted Italian genre cinema at its finest.