A documentary about the alleged abuses committed by Father Marko Rupnik and the efforts of his accusers to obtain justice has won widespread acclaim following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Directed by Lorena Luciano and executive-produced by the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay, Nuns vs. The Vatican received two sold-out screenings at the Canadian festival earlier this month.
Among the victims who feature in the film is Gloria Branciani, who received a standing ovation lasting four minutes when she appeared before audiences at a post-screening discussion.
Branciani, who spent decades in silence about her alleged abuse, described the moment during a Q&A session after the two screenings as profoundly moving, saying it felt as though she was speaking not only for herself but on behalf of others who had lived through similar experiences.
She said meeting other survivors and building mutual support was essential to her healing. She has also spoken of justice and truth as inseparable, expressing her hope that the film would serve as a catalyst for wider awareness both within the Church and among the faithful.
The film follows Branciani and fellow victims Mirjam Kovac and Klara, former members of the Sisters of the Loyola Community, as they recount what they say were years of sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse by the Slovenian priest and artist.
Rupnik co-founded the Loyola Community, was briefly excommunicated in 2020 for absolving a woman with whom he had had sexual relations, and was later expelled from the Jesuits for failing to respect restrictions placed upon him.
The documentary also features the victims’ lawyer Laura Sgró, as well as psychologists, journalists and experts who have examined the allegations.
Luciano and Piscopo said they were motivated to make the film after observing that the abuse of women by clergy had long been neglected in discussions that often centred on the abuse of children. They were struck, they said, by the absence of women’s testimonies during the Vatican’s 2019 summit on clerical abuse.
Fr Rupnik, 70, is now facing a canonical trial after Pope Francis removed the statute of limitations last year, enabling the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to pursue charges linked to accusations by more than two dozen women and at least one man over three decades, according to recent reports. In July, the Vatican named the panel of judges who will hear the case.
The case has drawn international attention and criticism, especially after it emerged that Rupnik’s excommunication in 2020 had been lifted and he was allowed to continue in ministry. The Jesuit order has acknowledged the credibility of the accusations and offered victims a process of reparation, but critics say there was a lack of transparency and accountability for too long.
The scandal has already led to changes within the Church, including the removal of Rupnik’s artworks from official Vatican outlets. Victims are urging further measures be taken and are looking to Pope Leo XIV, elected earlier this year, to take stronger action than his predecessor.
Photo: (from left to right) Trish Adlesic, Mariska Hargitay, Gloria Branciani and Mirjam Kovac attend the premiere of 'Nuns vs. The Vatican' during the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival at Scotiabank Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, 6 September 2025. (Photo by Mathew Tsang/Getty Images.)
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