GIROLAMO SAVONAROLA & THE TRIAL OF FIRE

The script gives a glance of the Reinassance in Italy through the tought and the life of Girolamo Savonarola, a dominican friar born in Ferrara. The biographic events are taken from XVIII century historical sources.
On the last ten years of the 15th century, Italy is divided in many small independent States led by the Roman Church, in this context Savonarola casts against the corruption of costumes perpetrated in Florence by his governors and fed by the sinful and luxurious lifestyle of the Roman Church.
The screenplay describes the political and religious fights lived by Savonarola after been recalled to Florence by Pico della Mirandola, nobleman and Cultural Councillor of Lorenzo il Magnifico: patron and tyrant of Florence. Savonarola faces him many times from the pergamum of San Marco Convent and from the Cathedral, preaching God’s scourges (“ecce gladius Domini super terram cito et velociter”) on the city and on Lorenzo if he does not regret his behaviour.
At the time of his death, Lorenzo calls him at his deathbed to receive the Last Rites but the Friar does not concede it due to his unwillingness to repent. After the death of the Magnifico, Savonarola starts a fight against Pope Innocenzo VIII and, afterwards, against Cardinal Roderic Lliancon de Borja, aka Alessandro VI.
The battle tightens up through Pope Edict and Sermons, against and/or in favour of the Signoria following the governing political party: Piagnoni, supporting the Friar, Arrabbiati against him. The most rioters of the lasts is the group of the Compagnacci, led by the young Doffo Spini. Savonarola, despite not helding institutional position within the Republic, has to see his preaches, poverty and penance, come true every time the Signoria is in his favour (the so called Savonarola’s Republic).
After a bloody battle at San Marco Convent, Savonarola gets arrested together with his most faithful: Fra Domenico and Fra Silvestro. He is then taken to the Alberghetto Cell, where he writes his confessions, not accepted by the Signoria who asks to Doffo Spini to get other more favourable also through torture. Failing the trial, they produce fake evidences showing is eretical ideas.
The Signoria condemns him to hanging and to the bonfire of his body together with his Brothers. The event happens on the 23th of May 1498 in the Signoria’s Square in front of the citizens, the ashes are thrown in the Arno. The burning flames torches his wrists and a light breeze lifts the arm like to invite the people of Florence to follow him in the bonfire.
During the prison he writes “Meditazioni sopra il Miserere”, published a few decades later by Martin Lutero. The preaches will be added to the “Indice dei Libri Proibiti” (the Forbidden Books Index) by Pope Benedetto XIV, althought not charged of heresy, where will remain there until 1740.