Coming soon to a festival near you is Paolo Strippoli’s new film, The Holy Boy. Set to have its world premiere where at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, the new film is a chilling take on religious horror as a teacher tries to understand a town’s obsession with a teenage boy they believe is an angel.
Read the film’s full synopsis below:
When Sergio, a teacher tormented by his past, is transferred to Remis, a secluded village known as the happiest town in Italy, it seems the perfect place for a new start. But Sergio soon discovers that behind the town’s joyful facade lies a dark and disturbing secret.
Each week, the villagers gather to meet Matteo, an introverted fifteen-year-old. They say Matteo is an angel whose embrace can free one of all pain and sorrow. But as Sergio realizes the village’s relationship to the young man is not as benevolent as it seems, his attempt to save Matteo awakens the darker side of the community, and the boy everyone calls the angel of Remis.
Now, watch our exclusive clip that reveals a glimpse of Matteo’s strange power…
Strippoli told Dread Central about the film:
“The Holy Boy was born from a desire to explore horror not merely as a tool for suspense, but as a symbolic space to tell a story about the fragility of identity and the desperate need for belonging. In an apparently idyllic community where pain is forbidden and serenity is treated like a religion, Matteo’s journey unfolds: a queer teenager, both sacrificial body and redemptive figure.
“The film is an exploration of coming of age as a profound transformation, but also of fatherhood as an ambiguous form of protection, control, and reflection. Father figures—biological, surrogate, spiritual—take turns attempting to fill an emotional void. Far from the archetypes of conventional coming-of-age stories, this narrative portrays growth as both a loss of innocence and an act of resistance. It’s a film about love as a healing force—but one that comes at a cost. About the vital role of pain in our lives. And about those brave enough not to smile.”
Michele Riondino, Paolo Pierobon, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Sergio Romano, Anna Bellato, Sandra Toffolatti, and Roberto Citran star in the film with newcomer Giulio Feltri.
The Holy Boy has its world premiere on Saturday, August 30, 2025. It’ll also play at Fantastic Fest in Austin in September. World sales are being handled by Fandango Sales.
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