Sergio, a former judoka, has found a job as a gym teacher in Remis, a remote village in the Italian Alps. The local tourist office describes it as “the valley of smiles.” And that’s not entirely unjustified, because all the inhabitants appear to be in a state of constant bliss. Surprised by so much happiness, Sergio discovers that the secret of the village lies in a shy fifteen-year-old teenager called Matteo. During weekly rituals, he absorbs all the pain and sorrow of the people with a long embrace. Sergio himself struggles with trauma and grief and forms a bond with Mateo. But what does all that accumulated pain do to the boy? Paolo Strippoli’s THE HOLY BOY has won many awards on the festival circuit, and is likely to win over quite a few souls at the BIFFF.