La Grazia

Oscar winner Paolo Sorrentino returns to the baroque world of presidential politics in his native Italy, but in a departure from the feverish exposés of Il Divo and Loro, he has crafted an elegantly restrained portrait of a fading ruler’s reckoning with age, power, and moral obligation. La Grazia centers around fictional Presidente Mariano De Santis (played with exquisite composure by Sorrentino regular Toni Servillo, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 2025 Venice Film Festival), whose term is nearly up. Disparagingly nicknamed “Cemento armato” (reinforced concrete) for his intractable nature and overly careful approach to politics, he has grown lonely in the echoing halls of the presidential palace, mourning the loss of his wife and listening to hip-hop. Before returning to civilian life, De Santis must make a series of bold decisions—a pair of presidential pardons and a groundbreaking policy bill—that will cement his legacy. Sorrentino’s film does the unexpected for our moment, infusing a tale of government affairs with a refreshing dose of humanity. A MUBI release.