Gospel According to Mary
A young Mary of Nazareth––forbidden to read but filled with wonder—befriends her teacher Joseph. As their bond deepens into love, her destiny is upended by a divine annunciation that challenges both their future and free will.
DIRECTOR
Paolo Zucca
actors
1h 38m • Rated TBC • Drama • Italy (2023)
Benedetta Porcaroli • Alessandro Gassmann • Emma Benini
What will this mean for the ‘Annunciation’? Benedetta Porcaroli as Mary and Alessandro Gassman as Joseph, genuinely engage and draw us in portraying such iconic roles. In my view, it is a long-overdue feminine hymn to free will and a statement against ignorance. It feels to me like Mary has waited millennia to tell her own story. The film is inspired by the 1979 novel of the same title by Barbara Alberti. Gospel According to Mary is a fascinating tale of love, destiny, duty and rebellion. Paolo Rotondo
CRITICS ROUNDUP
Bold, intimate, and quietly radical
Sardegna’s craggy beauty doubles as Biblical Palestine in this thoughtful imagining of Mary’s untold story. Director Paolo Zucca’s 21st-century perspective depicts her as a sharply intelligent, curious, rebellious spirit that refuses to be constrained by the limitations of her society. Mary has a hunger for freedom, knowledge and wisdom and a curiosity for everything forbidden to women. Joseph’s character is brilliantly portrayed as the teacher and confidant who educates and cares for her. In a brilliant twist, they fall in love.