The Holy Boy
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Screen for YOUR familyParent's Guide to The Holy Boy
"The Holy Boy (2025)" is an Italian psychological and folk horror drama that delves into profound themes of grief, communal repression, and the sinister consequences of seeking false solace. Set in the deceptively serene village of Remis, where inhabitants project an unnervingly happy facade, the narrative follows Sergio, a teacher haunted by his own past. He unearths a disturbing secret: the villagers engage in weekly rituals, believing that a teenage boy named Matteo possesses the ability to absorb their pain through his embrace. As Sergio endeavors to liberate Matteo from this oppressive role, he confronts the dark truths concealed beneath the community's forced cheerfulness, revealing a chilling story that emphasizes psychological tension and pervasive dread rather than conventional jump scares. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August 2025 and focuses on the fragility of identity and the desperate human need for belonging within a community that actively suppresses suffering.
Things to Consider
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
The film explicitly features LGBTQ+ themes, including a queer romance element involving the teenage protagonist, Matteo. Director Paolo Strippoli has described Matteo's journey as that of a 'queer teenager,' and reviews confirm his 'burgeoning attraction' to another male character, Lorenzo. This representation is central to Matteo's coming-of-age narrative within the repressive community.
Director Paolo Strippoli explicitly stated that Matteo's journey unfolds as a 'queer teenager, both sacrificial body and redemptive figure.' A ScreenAnarchy review notes that Matteo's performance is particularly strong in parts of the story that are 'coming-of-age and queer romance tales,' highlighting a 'queer romance element that goes through a similar repression.' Eye for Film mentions Matteo's 'burgeoning attraction for class bully Lorenzo (Diego Nardini).'
Witchcraft & Occult
The film features strong themes of occult practices and a 'disturbing ritual' at its core. The community believes a teenage boy, Matteo, has supernatural powers to absorb pain, referring to him as 'their angel,' but his powers are depicted as potentially 'not benevolent.' This involves elements of folk horror, religious cults, and implied possession, making occult themes central to the plot.
Scary & Intense Content
As a psychological and folk horror film, 'The Holy Boy' aims to create a highly intense and unsettling atmosphere. It focuses on 'lingering dread' and 'psychological tension' rather than jump scares. The narrative involves a 'dark secret,' 'sinister nature,' and 'disturbing ritual,' alongside a teacher tormented by his past, creating a consistently frightening and emotionally taxing experience.
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Violence
While the film is described as arthouse horror that prioritizes 'dissection of ideas over dismemberment,' it still contains elements of psychological violence and implied physical harm. The core narrative involves a sinister community and a teacher tormented by a past trauma, suggesting intense, non-graphic violence. The director emphasized psychological harm over explicit gore.
Romance and Sexual Content
The movie includes romantic elements, specifically a 'queer romance' between the protagonist Matteo and a classmate. While explicit sexual acts or graphic nudity are not detailed in reviews, the presence of a developing romantic relationship is confirmed as a significant plot point within the coming-of-age narrative. Some general tags for similar movies mentioned nudity, but not specifically confirmed for this film.
Disrespect & Rebellion
The movie explores themes of individual autonomy versus communal pressure, particularly through Matteo's journey. His 'burgeoning attraction' and exploration of his powers suggest a defiance against the roles and expectations imposed by his family and the community. The protagonist Sergio's attempt to 'save' Matteo also represents a rebellion against the village's established, yet sinister, order.
Anti-Christian Themes
The film uses Christian elements within a critical framework, examining 'religious fanaticism' and the idea of 'religion as an opiate for the masses' rather than offering explicit anti-Christian attacks. It scrutinizes the desire for quick fixes over genuine processing of pain and subtly critiques church leaders, suggesting a questioning of how faith can be distorted for communal control.
Profanity
There is no specific mention of profanity or strong language in the available reviews or plot summaries. While some mild language might be present given the horror genre, no instances of frequent or explicit curse words have been highlighted.
Substance Use
The film contains minimal mentions of substance use. One instance notes a character getting 'drunk in a bar,' which is a casual and non-central depiction of alcohol consumption. There is no indication of illegal drug use, addiction, or glamorization of substances.
The Holy Boy presents a narrative rich with spiritual implications, offering a poignant lens for Christian worldview analysis. At its core, the film explores humanity's innate yearning for relief from suffering, a desire that, from a biblical perspective, finds its ultimate and true fulfillment in Jesus Christ. However, the community in Remis seeks this solace through a human 'angel,' Matteo, highlighting a common spiritual pitfall: placing ultimate hope and trust in created beings or distorted rituals rather than in the Creator. The film's critical examination of 'religious fanaticism' and the notion of 'religion as an opiate for the masses' challenges believers to discern between genuine faith rooted in biblical truth and empty, self-serving spiritual practices that may offer temporary relief but ultimately lead to deeper darkness. The community's compulsion to 'hide behind joy' and repress pain stands in stark contrast to the Christian call for authentic lament, confession, and the transformative power of grace that works through brokenness. The moral landscape of The Holy Boy appears complex, depicting characters whose actions are driven by desperate needs and communal manipulation, rather than clear virtue. Sergio's quest to save Matteo from exploitation hints at a pursuit of justice and liberation, aligning with biblical calls to protect the vulnerable. However, the blurring of 'good' and 'evil' roles and the ambiguous nature of Matteo's powers suggest a relativistic worldview where moral lines are fluid, which diverges from a biblical understanding of objective moral truth. While not explicitly Christian in its themes of redemption, Matteo's role as a 'sacrificial body and redemptive figure' can be a point of discussion, prompting reflection on the uniqueness of Christ's sacrifice and the dangers of seeking salvation or healing through human means. The portrayal of family dynamics, particularly Matteo's father's insistence on his 'duties,' raises questions about authority and love, contrasting with biblical principles of nurturing, selfless familial relationships. Ultimately, the film's depiction of faith appears more as a cautionary tale against distorted spirituality and collective delusion, rather than a respectful or affirming portrayal of biblical Christianity, inviting viewers to critically evaluate the sources of their comfort and belief.
Additional Context
Best For Ages
16+ (Mature Teens and Adults) due to its genre as psychological and folk horror, exploring complex themes of grief, religious fanaticism, disturbing communal rituals, and a queer romance element. The film is designed to evoke lingering dread and psychological tension, making it unsuitable for younger viewers.
Good to Know
The film is an Italian production, originally titled 'La valle dei sorrisi' (The Valley of Smiles), and is described as arthouse/psychological horror. It explores complex themes of identity, grief, and the suppression of pain. While no official MPAA rating is available, its content suggests it is intended for mature audiences. Shudder has acquired rights for a 2026 release.
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