Abstract

Recent historiographical studies have unveiled a substantial female presence in the Italian film industry, especially as concerns behind-the-scenes roles. This article builds upon this body of research to investigate the gendered labor of the Daughters of Saint Paul, the female religious congregation that contributed to the foundation and expansion of the Catholic film production and distribution company San Paolo Film. After an overview of the role played by the Daughters in the company’s general operations, this essay will focus on their film criticism work, revealing both their analytical subtlety and the centrality of their labor to San Paolo Film’s educational mission