Charlotte Rampling has signed on for a role in Paul Verhoeven‘s (Basic Instinct, Elle) upcoming thriller, Blessed Virgin. Rampling reportedly will play a key supporting role in the film that will re-team Verhoeven with Elle actress Virginie Efira.
The film revolves around a novice nun capable of performing miracles who joins an Italian convent in the late 17th century as plague is ravaging the land. While at the convent, she begins an affair with another woman. The script is being written by Verhoeven and Elle co-writer David Birke.
The film is set to mix religion and erotica (well, it is Verhoeven, what did you expect?) and is surprisingly based on Judith C. Brown‘s academic work, Immodest Acts: The Life Of A Lesbian Nun In Renaissance Italy, which is about the controversial 17th century abbess, Carlini.
Verhoeven’s Elle was a bit of a bounce back hit two years ago after the director had practically been banished from Hollywood after his later American films were deemed to be too subversive. So now he’s taken his talents to France, and Blessed Virgin has all the makings of a typical work by the director.
Elle was mostly received positively, but even those that didn’t like it certainly found plenty to discuss within it. Hopefully this latest film can provide us with that, at least. Filming is expected to begin later this year.
#Peace.Love.BlessedVirgin
