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The Catholic School

Name: The Catholic School
Director: Stefano Mordini
Released: 2021
Duration: 107 min

Representation Score

3.7/10

Limited

2021

TV-MA

Director

Stefano Mordini

Runtime

107 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Catholic School is a critical examination of religious and class-based hierarchies, focusing on systemic corruption and opacity. It succeeds in challenging the moral superiority of traditional Western structures but is limited by its narrow focus on a homogenous social group. The film’s exploration of moral complexity is achieved at the expense of broader demographic representation. While the film offers a nuanced look at a specific historical and social stratum, it falls short in providing characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity, particularly in terms of gender and racial diversity.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Catholic School have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film centers around a group of men in a rigid, straight-focused environment. It touches on repressed desires but lacks explicit queer narratives or active roles for LGBTQ+ individuals.

How does The Catholic School portray gender?

Fair

The narrative highlights the impact of male violence while positioning female characters as victims of tragedy. Female characters are not given much opportunity to take control of their own stories.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Catholic School?

Limited

The film is set in a highly homogenous, upper-middle-class Italian community. It focuses on the socio-cultural isolation of the elite during the 1970s, rather than showcasing diverse ethnic backgrounds.

How does The Catholic School represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film effectively critiques religious authority, portraying the Catholic institution as secretive and corrupt. It avoids simple moral dichotomies and explores the complexities of human behavior.

Does The Catholic School include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no significant portrayal of visible or invisible disabilities. Character struggles are primarily psychological and social, rather than focused on physical or neurodivergent conditions.

Present on Screen

Sophisticated critique of religious authority and institutional secrecy.
Effective examination of the upper-middle-class social hierarchy.
In-depth exploration of moral complexity and human behavior.

Limited or Absent

Need for more racial diversity and ethnic representation.
Female characters should have more ability to act and less victimization.
More LGBTQ+ identities and narratives should be included.

Official Synopsis

Three well-off young men—former students at Rome’s prestigious all-boys Catholic high school San Leone Magno—brutally tortured, raped, and murdered two young women in 1975. The event, which came to be known as the Circeo massacre, shocked and captivated the country, exposing the violence and dark underbelly of the upper middle class at a moment when the traditional structures of family and religion were seen as under threat.

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