Susanna Nicchiarelli's 'Chiara' Premieres at Venice 79, Portraying Saint Clare as a Rebellious Teenager

At the 79th Venice International Film Festival, Susanna Nicchiarelli premiered 'Chiara', a biographical film about Saint Clare of Assisi, presented in competition. The film covers Clare's life from 1211 to 1228, focusing on her disobedience and revolutionary spirit. Nicchiarelli, known for female-centric narratives in 'Nico, 1988' and 'Miss Marx', completes a trilogy exploring women's struggles through different eras. The screenplay is written in Umbrian vernacular, the language of Francis of Assisi's poetry, to authentically represent the Franciscan message. Nicchiarelli consulted Nadia Cannata, professor of Italian Language History at Sapienza University of Rome, to reconstruct the medieval dialect. The film stars an unknown actress as Clare and is distributed by 01 Distribution. Nicchiarelli describes Clare as the youngest and most resolved of her three protagonists, finding identity through community and faith. The narrative highlights Clare's fight against family violence and papal opposition to realize her dream of freedom and service to the poor.