Paul Verhoeven directing lesbian nun drama

Los Angeles April 27 (IANS) Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven who is active both in the US as well as Netherlands is directing a lesbian nun drama based on the life of controversial Italian nun Benedetta Carlini.

Blessed Virgin will chronicle Carlini s life in the 17th century with Virginie Efira essaying the protagonist reports hollywoodreporter.com.

Production has now begun on the film which is based on the book Immodest Acts: The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy by Judith C. Brown.

Gerard Soeteman has adapted the work.

Producer Saïd Ben Saïd announced the news on Twitter.

Born in 1591 Carlini is a significant figure for historians of women s spirituality and lesbianism.

At 30 she was made abbess of a convent in Pescia where she claimed she was experiencing visions of being murdered. It was later found that she had engaged in sexual relations with a fellow nun whom she was accused of molesting.

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