Film of the Day: "Le pupille" — Disney's Unexpectedly Bold Short About Boarding School

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While some directors struggle to make something "important," Alice Rohrwacher does it effortlessly — through childhood cruelty, cream cake, and a grim nun who makes you want to fear and pity her at the same time.

Her Oscar-nominated short film "Le pupille" (2022) tells more in just 38 minutes than many feature-length dramas manage in two hours.

What's it about?

In wartime Italy, girls at a Catholic boarding school are preparing for Christmas. But this holiday isn't about joy—it's about discipline and obedience.
Four girls peek out from under the table and look at a big red cake
Le pupille movie poster
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While the nuns listen to war reports on the radio, one student, Serafina, accidentally tunes into music instead. What follows is a dance no one will forget. And it all ends with soap in mouths, accusations of being "corrupted," and a cake meant for the bishop that winds up going to... dogs and a chimney sweep.

Why watch it?

"Le pupille" is like Roald Dahl's "Matilda" with Italian flair and Christmas atmosphere. It's got everything: a strict religious school, an outcast heroine fighting for the right to be herself, and a warm, humanistic message where even rebellion becomes a way to connect with others.

How's it made?

Beautifully crafted. Sometimes harsh, sometimes gently humorous, but always alive. The chorus of girls commenting on the action echoes Greek tragedy, while the camera tenderly glides through the boarding school's cold corridors.
Le pupille trailer
The girls feel real and touching, the nuns are strict but never cartoonish. Even the cake plays a starring role in this film.

What are critics saying?

Rotten Tomatoes gives it 92% "fresh" from critics. IMDb rates it 6.8. This isn't a blockbuster—it's intimate but powerful cinema. As LA Times critic Noel Murray put it:
This charming and surprisingly tense film, like Rohrwacher's other work, features a mischievous sense of humor and a deep understanding that sometimes people can commit terrible acts of cruelty in the name of righteousness.
LA Times critic Noel Murray
"Le pupille" is light filmmaking without unnecessary weight. Just childhood sincerity and a little bit of frosting. Earlier on zoomboola.com, we covered "Magic Candies"—a short film about loneliness that took 4 years to make.