Nuns in cinema: Unveiling the fear behind the habit

The nun is a figure frequently depicted in cinema. This enigmatic character sparks curiosity and fear, lending itself well to exploring its horror potential. It is hardly surprising, then, that she often emerges on the screen showing her demonic side, engaging in battles with evil forces or... falling victim to them. Recently, there has been an increase in films featuring nuns in prominent roles. "The Immaculate" just joined this list, drawing on this well-established theme.

The reason behind the shivers that nuns might induce could be their daily attire. The habit of covering almost the entire body is the perfect way to hide, perhaps, dark secrets. It's also significant that they live almost completely isolated from the "real world" and limit themselves to a small community of other nuns, which could lead to various pathologies. The cinema has utilized these themes for years. View the gallery and discover movies about unusual nuns.

In 2018, "The Nun," a spin-off of the popular "The Conjuring," made its debut on screens. Right at the beginning of Corin Hardy's film, tragedy strikes. When a young nun takes her own life in a monastery in Romania, a priest troubled by past haunts and a novice about to take her monastic vows are sent by the Vatican to investigate the matter. Together, they uncover the shameful secret of the order.

The production, made for 22 million dollars, brought in a huge profit, amounting to over 365 million dollars. This is somewhat surprising since both critics and audiences agreed on the quality of the "work". On Rotten Tomatoes, only 25 percent of professional critics and 35 percent of audiences considered the title worth watching. Nonetheless, the financial success led to a sequel five years later.

And in this case, it fared a bit better. With a budget of 38.5 million dollars, the film earned less, at 268 million dollars, but was more favorably received by viewers. On the same platform, as many as 52 percent of critics and 73 percent of audiences rated it positively. Despite not bringing in the expected windfall for Bonnie Aarons, who played the eerie nun, the series is considered quite lucrative. The actress even filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. studio, demanding the profits due to her (she only received a small part of them, which was not in accordance with the contract) from the sale of merchandise related to the plot.

In the latest film by Paul Verhoeven, there may not be a theme of demonism per se, but undoubtedly, the titular Benedetta is not your typical nun. The story is set in the 17th century. A girl of noble birth with extraordinary talents joins one of the Tuscan convents. Her exceptional nature is revealed the moment a statue of the Virgin Mary falls on her during prayer. As the years go by, the girl experiencing mystical visions begins to solidify her position within the convent, not only by fighting for power with the mother superior but also by engaging in a passionate lesbian romance.

Competing for the Palme d'Or at Cannes, "Benedetta" was warmly received (although not in Catholic circles). On the mentioned website Rotten Tomatoes, as much as 84% of critics and 90% of viewers rated it positively. The cast includes Virginie Efira, Charlotte Rampling, Daphné Patakia, Lambert Wilson, and Olivier Rabourdin.

In "The Exorcism of Sister Ann," a nun is responsible for exorcising demons for the first time in movie history. The protagonist realized her unusual gift in childhood. However, she cannot share this gift because, according to Church teachings, only men—priests—can confront evil forces; it's supposedly too dangerous for women. Thus, gender inequalities exist even within this powerful institution.

Fortunately, Ann's mentor allows her to participate in training, though only as an observer. During one of such terrifying sessions, the nun experiences the presence of a demon of incredible power. Soon, it becomes clear that she is the only one capable of facing it.

In the film by Daniel Stamm ("13 Sins") based on a script by Robert Zappi ("Halloween H20: 20 Years Later"), Jacqueline Byers plays the leading role ("Dark Whispers"). She is joined on screen by Virginia Madsen, Ben Cross, and Colin Salmon. The film is available on Amazon Prime Video and for additional rental on Canal+ Online.

"Immaculate" tells the story of a young and faithful nun, Cecilia, who arrives at an Italian convent, located in a picturesque area. From the beginning, however, she has the feeling that she did not find herself here by accident, and that the true nature of this place is a closely guarded secret. When the woman discovers she is pregnant, the convent starts to talk about a miracle. Sister Cecilia feels that her condition is not a surprise to some priests, and the fear she sees in the eyes of other nuns leads her to believe that there is some terrifying secret associated with this place.

The leading role is played by one of the most sought-after Hollywood actresses, Sydney Sweeney. Apart from her, we will also see on screen, among others, Alvaro Morte ("Money Heist"), Simona Tabasco ("The White Lotus") and Bernadetta Porcaroli ("Lying and Pretending is All Right in Good Company"). The movie premieres on Friday, April 26.