I, The Worst of All

Of all the sapphic nun movies I’ve seen, I, The Worst of All is by far the most subtle. Even the nun movies I watch that aren’t exploitation usually get a bit over the top. Nobody’s faking the stigmata in I, The Worst of All or getting tortured by the inquisition. The inquisition does make an appearance but they basically just inquire. Without the use of torture implements. There’s not even any nun nudity! Hell, I, The Worst of All is so subtle I’m not even sure how sapphic it is. It’s more of a feminist film about how women are capable of thought and poetry. Though the poetry in question does have some distinct undertones of sapphic yearning.

In the 1600s, Sister Juana Inés de la Cruz has become something of a sensation due to her writing and plays. Learned and well-read, her convent allows her to pursue her writing and keep a library. The wife of a rich viceroy, Maria Luisa takes notice of Sister Juana. There are many similarities for the two women to discuss given their shared gender. However, there are also radical differences due to Sister Juana becoming a nun and Maria Luisa’s role as a rich wife. Eventually, Sister Juana makes too much of a splash. The higher-ups at the church and within society begin to question if it’s morally “correct” for a woman and a nun to share so much writing, especially when some of Sister Juana’s views are radical. And by radical, I mean she thinks women should be allowed to write and know God and stuff.

I, The Worst of All is a feminist film first and foremost. It’s about a very intelligent and well-spoken women who is persecuted for that. The poetry Sister Juana writes is beautiful and profound. The film utilizes it well. For Sister Juana, marriage and motherhood seemed like a cage. Instead, she takes the veil, which comes with it another type of oppression. Sister Juana at one point tells Maria Luisa that there’s no cage but the one you make for yourself. And she tries to live by this motto, pushing boundaries and searching for the freedom within her circumstances. But of course, no institution in the 1600s was going to allow her this freedom, especially not the Catholic church. As hard as Juana tries to find her freedom, eventually her ideas become too “dangerous” and the cage she rejects the existence of closes around her.

It’s Juana’s friendship with Maria Luisa that gets a little sapphic. On Maria Luisa’s side, there’s clear desire. Maria Luisa is the one who kisses Juana. For her part, Juana stands there, neither leaning in nor pushing away. It’s hard to say what Juana’s sexuality is, because she’s not exactly free to explore it, nor will she let herself. Though after meeting Maria Luisa and especially after the kiss, Juana’s poetry begins to focus on women, yearning and denial. Whatever their relationship is, it’s enough for the inquisition to deem it adultery. Juana is married to the Heavenly Father, after all. And the feelings she had towards Maria Luisa, even not acted upon are apparently emotionally cheating on Jesus or whatever. What a shame. If persecution was to happen regardless, Juana might as well have turned the film into an exploitation piece and fucked with abandon.

I, The Worst of All found an incredibly interesting subject to make a film about. The film is pretty rare in that it’s about a nun but doesn’t seek to exploit the topic. Instead, it’s a sensitive and tragic feminist story about a very intelligent woman trying to find the freedom to think and express herself in a time when such things were considered immoral and criminal. There’s some really wonderful dialogue in the film courtesy of both the original screenplay and Sister Juana’s actual writing. This is a great character piece about one of thousands of unsung women, whose thought and art were stifled by misogynistic power structures and individuals.

Overall rating: 7/10

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