If you loved
Kidnapped
Marco Bellocchio · Film · 2023
If Kidnapped moved you, you will appreciate these stories that examine the brutal collision between institutional power and individual human agency.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
A Stolen Life: A Memoir
Jaycee Dugard · Book · 2011
Explores: child abduction, captivity, Stockholm Syndrome.
Like the plight of Edgardo in Kidnapped, this memoir explores the harrowing loss of autonomy when an individual is forcibly removed from their life by an external, controlling force.
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Mark T. Sullivan · Book · 2018
Explores: Italian Resistance, Moral Dilemmas, Survival.
This narrative mirrors the Italian historical setting of Kidnapped, focusing on the moral stakes and personal survival of individuals caught within a vast, oppressive political landscape.
The Institute
Stephen King · Book · 2019
Shares a thread with Kidnapped: Loss of innocence.
The abduction of children by a cold, faceless institution depicted here echoes the bureaucratic cruelty and state-sanctioned kidnapping that drives the central conflict in Kidnapped.
Follow Your Heart (Va' dove ti porta il cuore)
Susanna Tamaro · Book · 1994
Explores: Self-Discovery, Intergenerational Relationships, Regret.
While Kidnapped focuses on a public political struggle, this novel captures the intimate, intergenerational weight of family secrets and the lasting impact of historical trauma on personal memory.
Series on the same thread
The Young Pope
Paolo Sorrentino · Series · 2016
Shares 2 threads with Kidnapped: Religious Drama, Political Drama.
You will recognize the claustrophobic power dynamics of the Vatican found in Kidnapped as this series dissects the internal machinations and spiritual crises of the papal office.
The Borgias
Neil Jordan · Series · 2011
Shares 2 threads with Kidnapped: Historical Drama, Political Drama.
This series explores the same corrupt intersection of faith and political authority that fuels the tragic events of Kidnapped, highlighting how institutions prioritize power over human lives.
The Chosen
Dallas Jenkins · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with Kidnapped: Historical Drama.
This look at the life of Christ provides a spiritual counterpoint to the religious institutionalism and forced conversion themes that define the tragedy of the boy in Kidnapped.
The Bible
Series · 2013
Shares 2 threads with Kidnapped: Religious Drama, Historical Drama.
These historical events provide the broader religious context for the faith-based power struggles that ultimately rip the young protagonist away from his family in Kidnapped.
Podcasts on the same thread
Bag Man
Rachel Maddow, MS NOW · Podcast · 2023
Explores: corruption, political scandal, accountability.
Just as Kidnapped exposes the rot within 19th-century political systems, this investigation reveals the systemic failure and corruption inherent when those in power operate above the law.
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
This series interrogates the foundational injustices of history, much like Kidnapped exposes how religious and political authorities weaponized their power against vulnerable families during the Italian unification.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Kidnapped based on a true story?
Yes, Kidnapped is based on the historical account of Edgardo Mortara, a young Jewish boy living in Bologna in 1858. After being secretly baptized, he was forcibly taken from his parents by the papacy, sparking a significant political battle during the era of Italian unification.
Is the 2023 movie Kidnapped related to the 1980 book?
The 2023 film Kidnapped is a distinct work directed by Marco Bellocchio. While both share the same title, the 2023 movie focuses specifically on the historical abduction of Edgardo Mortara and the subsequent political conflict between the papacy and forces of democracy in 19th-century Italy.
How does the political context of Kidnapped impact the plot?
The plot of Kidnapped centers on the struggle of Edgardo Mortara’s parents to reclaim their son. This personal tragedy becomes a larger political battle, as the boy's forced removal by the church pits the authority of the papacy against the growing movement for democracy and Italian unification.
Should I watch the 2023 Kidnapped to understand the Mortara case?
Watching the 2023 film Kidnapped provides a detailed look at the case of Edgardo Mortara. The film portrays the events of 1858, illustrating how the boy's forced removal from his Jewish family in Bologna became a central point of contention during the period of Italian unification.