The Holy Boy

What it’s about

PE teacher Sergio Rossetti arrives in the isolated village of Remis, hoping to escape his past. The inhabitants seem impossibly serene, and the hotel owner, Michela, reveals why: each week, the villagers gather to embrace a teenager called Matteo, who absorbs their pain. But this ritual has a cost, and Sergio's attempt to intervene draws him into darkness.

What hooks you

Paolo Strippoli directs a cast led by Michele Riondino as Sergio and Romana Maggiora Vergano as Michela. The film won the FEDIC Prize at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, and its premise of a boy who heals through hugs, while the village pays a hidden price, promises an unsettling blend of drama and horror.

Who it’s for

It will appeal to those who like slow-burning tension, where a seemingly idyllic community conceals something sinister. It will also suit viewers drawn to character-driven horror that explores grief and the price of peace.