Thursday, March 28, marked the beginning of the Holy Week 2024 in Peru. Many faithful gathered in the churches to remember the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. These dates serve as a reminder of crucial events in the christian history. It is a time for introspection, prayer and connection to our faith, as the community comes together in celebration and reflection.
Throughout these days, both in our country and in other parts of the world, religious films are usually broadcast, however, there was one in history that caused so much controversy that it had to be banned in Europe and Latin America.
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Why was 'The Last Temptation of Christ' banned?
The film 'The Last Temptation of Christ', directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Willem Dafoe, and released on August 12, 1988, unleashed an unprecedented controversy in relation to faith and Christianity. Its origin dates back to the book of the same name by Nikos Kazantzakis, which presents Jesus in a radically different way than that found in the Bible. This alternative representation of the Messiah generated an intense debate about the limits of religious interpretation and cinematic art.
Despite the strong controversy it generated, it was finally released in some movie theaters. This triggered numerous protests by Catholic groups, who gathered outside the cinemas as a sign of repudiation. The film portrays a man with a worldly personality and who faces his own frustrations like any other human being, making him more susceptible to temptations, such as lust. For Scorsese, Jesus was a tortured character, who fought against his weaknesses.
“It seemed to me that the emphasis on the human side of the representation of Jesus, without detracting from the question of God, was an accessible gesture. The divine dimension does not fully understand what the human part desires. He must transform himself and eventually sacrifice himself on the cross, and the man Christ is only capable of assimilating this step by step,” the director revealed in an interview that was included in the book 'Scorsese by Scorsese'.
36 years ago, this film caused unimaginable controversy, and was even accused of being blasphemous and heretical. The controversy transcended borders, with intense protests at Universal Studios and an attack in a Paris cinema that left 11 injured. Despite all the scandal, the film turned out to be a smash hit at the global box office, grossing almost $40 million in profits.
In which Latin American countries was 'The Last Temptation of Christ' banned?
The film was never released in Argentina, which generated a media stir that covered the covers of all newspapers and magazines. From bishops to television journalists, even politicians and traditionalist groups, they vehemently expressed their desire to censor it, even threatening direct attacks against cinemas that dared to show it. However, the funny thing is that most of them admitted to not having seen the movie at all.
In 1988, during the Augusto Pinochet regime in Chile, the film was released in a context of conservatism. Despite this, some movie theaters chose to show it, which triggered numerous demonstrations by Catholic groups.
According to reports from The Clinic, the situation reached such a level that the Inter-American Court of Human Rights accused the Chilean Government of violating articles related to freedom of conscience and religion, as well as freedom of thought and expression. It was not until 2004 that the film was broadcast on TVN, after a favorable decision by the same court.
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