Caravaggio's Shadow (L'ombra di Caravaggio)

synopsis

Italy 1610. Michelangelo Merisi (Riccardo Scarmarcio), better known as Caravaggio, ignores Catholic Church rulings that dictate how religious subjects are to be represented. Having been informed that he depicts prostitutes, thieves and vagabonds in his work, Pope Paul V orders the Vatican secret service to investigate, to decide whether to grant the clemency for which Caravaggio has petitioned since being sentenced to death for the murder of a rival in love.The investigator (Louis Garrel) - known as The Shadow - begins the inquiry that will lead him to discover the conflicting vices and virtues of the artist whose life - or death - lies in his hands.