Drama
Germany,France,Italy
The film, directed by Domenico Paolella, was released in Italy in 1973 under the title "Storia di una monaca di clausura." It is a part of the "nunsploitation" genre, which was popular in the 1970s and featured stories of sexual corruption within convents.
The woman at the center of the story is Sister Carmela, played by Catherine Spaak. She falls in love with a man named Carlo (played by Marcos Poggi) but is already promised to the son of a wealthy family. When her parents discover her affair, they send her to a convent in hopes of correcting her behavior and forcing her to marry the wealthy man.
Once at the convent, Sister Carmela is subjected to cruel treatment by the Mother Superior (played by Suzy Kendall) and other nuns, who believe that she is a fallen woman. She eventually forms a close bond with Sister Agatha (played by Ewa Aulin), who becomes her lover.
The two engage in passionate sex, which is shown in graphic detail. Sister Carmela becomes pregnant but refuses to give up her child or leave the convent. When a jealous nun tries to seduce her and Sister Carmela resists, the nun frames Sister Agatha for stealing money and murders her in a fit of rage.
Sister Carmela is devastated by the loss of her lover and refuses to take her vows. She leaves the convent and begins working with the poor and sick, becoming a symbol of compassion and selflessness. The film ends with her on a boat heading towards a new life of purpose and meaning.
The film was controversial upon its release due to its graphic sexual content and portrayal of nuns engaged in lesbian relationships. However, it remains a cult classic and is considered one of the better films in the nunsploitation genre.
