IO C’E/ JUST BELIEVE

Italy, 2018, 100 minutes, Colour.

Eduardo Leo, Margherita Buy, Giuseppe Battiston, Giuulia Nicolini, Franco Pinelli.

Directed by Alessandro Aronadio.

A very Italian comedy/drama. Audiences from outside Italy may be observing rather than identifying.

The theme is religion, organised religion. There are some sequences here that seem to be very supportive of traditional, organised religion, especially in the wise advice given to the central character by a sympathetic priest (counterbalanced by some satiric portraits of very aggressive traditionalist nuns). And the references to the history of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism.

But, the film is also satiric and critical of organised religion, its hold over people, some of the more eccentric expressions of faith and belief, exploitations by charlatans, legal loopholes and profits.

At the centre is a middle-aged man, Massimo, Eduardo Leo, who has travelled, not really settled down, has the bright idea to set up a religion, make a profit and avoid taxes. He employs the help and advice of his sister, Adriana, Margherita Buy. He has connections with quite a number of eccentric characters, especially a large author of a book which is never to be read, but who is trying to build up a following. In fact, working with Massimo, he achieves many of his life’s ambitions.

Massimo makes many tentative steps toward setting up his religion, finding accommodation, attracting a whole lot of street people, encouraging them, actually helping them, their responding well, calling his religion Ionosmo, and translated in the subtitles as Selfism. On the one hand there is positive value in the lives of those whom Massimo is advising to think of themselves as God, being true to themselves, that kind of inner freedom and for their actions. On the other hand, there are overtones of cult and exploitation.

There is a complication when one of the member dies and leaves property to Massimo and the church. And there are scenes of discussions and the final acceptance by the Italian government of his church with its legal and financial rights.

But, the development of the screenplay has Massimo beginning to be overwhelmed, doubting, giving speeches to his followers to say that his initial motives were fraudulent, that he does not believe what he says – which only confirms them in their faith and devotion to him.

And the Italian title? Massimo uses it to indicate the way that he can be described as his own God.

Definitely a curiosity item, Italian culture and society, religious issues.