La Grazia (2025)

Paolo Sorrentino | Italy | 2025 | 133 min | PG13 (Some Coarse Language) An elderly man mulling over his legacy must decide between his duty to the Church or the people in his final act as Italy’s president. A distinguished judge and devout Catholic, Mariano de Santis has been the incumbent head of state for six terms. Famous for maintaining the status quo, he is equally derided for his reluctance to take any strong political stance. Amidst pressure to pardon criminals and sign a bill legalising the right to die, de Santis cannot seem to shake his growing obsession with uncovering the identity of his late wife’s lover. With La Grazia, Sorrentino returns to his baroque world of Italian leaders engaged in high-stakes political and private drama. This tale of political and humanist intrigue plays out on majestic sets, elucidating the ethical, moral and political conundrums and responsibilities of an exiting president.