Reviews
4 min readI’ve been thinking about Libera nos: Il trionfo sul male for months now—not because I’ve seen it, but because I haven’t. That’s the strange power of anticipation: a film can haunt you before it even exists. Here’s what we know (or think we know): Giovanni Ziberna and Valeria Baldan are making a fictional thriller about exorcism, a genre already crowded with clichés and cheap scares. Yet something about their approach feels different. Maybe it’s the shadow of their 2016 documentary predecessor, Libera Nos, which didn’t just observe exorcisms but lingered in their aftermath—the way the air thickens after a storm. Or maybe it’s the way Ziberna talks about the project, not as a horror film but as a story about "the triumph over evil," a phrase that sounds both grandiose and oddly intimate. What does triumph even look like when the enemy is invisible?
The trailer (all we’ve got so far) doesn’t give much away, but it doesn’t need to. The images that stick aren’t the jump cuts or the obligatory screaming—it’s the silence between them. A priest’s hands trembling over a rosary. A face half-lit by candlelight, eyes wide but not with fear, exactly. With something closer to recognition. That’s the thing about exorcism stories: the best ones aren’t about the devil at all. They’re about the people who believe in him, who need him to be real because the alternative—that the darkness is inside us, not out there—is too much to bear.
I keep coming back to that 2016 documentary, Libera Nos, which Ziberna didn’t direct but which clearly looms over this new project. It followed Father Cataldo Migliore, a Franciscan priest performing exorcisms in Sicily, and what struck me wasn’t the spectacle of the rituals but their mundanity. The way the possessed twitched and groaned in church basements, yes, but also the way the priest sighed between sessions, rubbing his temples like a man who’d just finished a long shift at a job he no longer believed in. There was no triumph there, only exhaustion. If Ziberna and Baldan’s film can capture even a fraction of that weariness—if it can make us feel the weight of fighting something that might not even exist—it could be extraordinary.
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsExclusive: Behind the Scenes of Libera nos: Il trionfo sul male (2026) – A Spiritual Thriller in the Making
The upcoming film Libera nos: Il trionfo sul male (2026) is already generating buzz, not just for its chilling premise but for the creative duo steering its vision. Directed by Giovanni Ziberna and Valeria Baldan, this project marks a bold departure from the 2016 documentary Libera Nos (also known as Liberami), which explored real-life exorcisms in Sicily 
. While the earlier film was a raw, observational dive into the rituals of Catholic exorcism, the 2026 iteration promises a fictionalized, high-stakes narrative—though its spiritual themes remain central.
A New Take on an Unsettling Theme
The 2016 documentary Libera Nos (directed by Federica Di Giacomo) shocked audiences with its unflinching portrayal of Father Cataldo Migliore, a Franciscan priest performing exorcisms in modern-day Sicily [2]. The film’s stark realism left a lasting impression, but Ziberna and Baldan’s Libera nos: Il trionfo sul male appears to be charting a different course. While details about the plot remain scarce, trailers and interviews suggest a fictionalized thriller, blending psychological tension with supernatural elements [5][6].
Ziberna has hinted at the film’s ambition in recent updates, thanking fans for their support and teasing a project that "goes beyond the documentary" [3]. The official 4K trailer, released in late 2024, offers glimpses of intense performances, eerie settings, and a tone that leans into horror-adjacent suspense [5]. Unlike the 2016 film’s fly-on-the-wall approach, this version seems designed to immerse viewers in a narrative-driven experience—though whether it will retain the same religious authenticity remains to be seen.
The Directors’ Vision: From Festivals to Film
Ziberna and Baldan are no strangers to spiritual storytelling. Their collaboration at the Rosa Mystica Festival 2024 showcased their shared interest in faith-based narratives, with discussions centering on the intersection of religion, art, and modern society [7]. This festival appearance may have been a precursor to Libera nos, offering a glimpse into the themes they’re exploring.
In interviews, Ziberna has emphasized the film’s focus on "the triumph over evil" as both a personal and universal struggle [1][6]. While he hasn’t revealed specifics about the cast or script, his updates suggest a meticulous approach to balancing drama with reverence for the subject matter. One YouTube interview from 2020 even framed the project as a response to contemporary debates about exorcism, asking whether such practices still hold relevance in the modern world [4]. Whether the film will answer that question—or leave it open for interpretation—is part of the intrigue.
What We Know (and What’s Still a Mystery)
- Genre Shift: Unlike the 2016 documentary, Libera nos: Il trionfo sul male is a fictional film, likely leaning into thriller or horror elements [5][6].
- Directorial Collaboration: Ziberna and Baldan’s joint direction suggests a fusion of their artistic styles, though their individual contributions remain unclear [3][7].
- Trailer Teases: The 4K trailer hints at a dark, atmospheric tone, with dramatic performances and a focus on psychological tension [5].
- Unconfirmed Rumors: Some sources speculate the film may incorporate real exorcism cases as inspiration, but this hasn’t been confirmed by the directors [4].
Why This Film Could Stand Out
The 2016 Libera Nos left audiences unsettled with its unfiltered look at exorcism rituals. If Libera nos: Il trionfo sul male succeeds in translating that unease into a fictional narrative, it could carve out a unique space in the spiritual thriller genre. Ziberna’s insistence on authenticity—without sensationalism—may be the key to its appeal [1][3]. However, with limited details about the cast, script, or release strategy, much of the film’s potential remains speculative.
For now, fans are left dissecting trailers and director updates, waiting for the next clue about what promises to be one of 2026’s most intriguing releases.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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