The film festival begins with an uneven portrayal of violence in the convents of the Order of the Magdalene, with the actor of ‘Oppenheimer’ as protagonist and Matt Damon as producer

The Catholic prayer, traditionally spoken or sung, will now be showcased on the big screen starting this Thursday, marking the beginning of the 74th Berlinale film festival. The event kicked off with a collective prayer for victims of Catholic Church abuses, led by actor Cillian Murphy and producer Matt Damon. The film, «Small Things Like These«, an adaptation of Claire Keegan’s acclaimed novel, revisits one of the darkest chapters of Irish history: the abuses that occurred in the Magdalene laundries throughout the 20th century. These institutions, run by religious orders but state–funded, were meant to shelter «fallen women» and forced them to work in inhumane conditions. The film weaves a tale set in two timelines, one in the winter of 1985 and the other in 1950s Ireland. Murphy, an Oscar favorite, plays the lead role, a tormented man who discovers the abuses in his town’s convent. He stated at a press conference that art could be more effective in healing the collective trauma than a government report. The film, directed by Tim Mielants and produced by Actors Equity, founded by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, is a depiction of the oppressive atmosphere in a small town dominated by the Church. Despite its tendency to fall into moralism and miserabilism, it will be remembered for a scene where Emily Watson, playing a Mother Superior, uses methods akin to a Calabrian mafioso. The presence of Murphy and Damon added star power to the festival, which will also see visits from Martin Scorsese, Kristen Stewart, Rooney Mara, and Gael García Bernal. The festival has also been marked by political controversy, stemming from accusations of neutrality regarding the Israel–Palestine conflict and the controversial invitation of the far–right AfD party to the opening ceremony.