French block Passion of the Christ

The age ^ | March 1, 2004 | By Kim Willsher

[miltonim]

French cinema chains are refusing to distribute or screen Mel Gibson's controversial film The Passion of the Christ because of fears that it may spark a new outbreak of anti-Semitism.

France is the only European country where there is still no distribution deal for the film, which depicts the last days of Jesus Christ in graphic detail and is accused by critics of stoking anti-Jewish sentiment.

The film was released in America and Australia last week but French distributors are wary of its impact on audiences and want to gauge its reception elsewhere in Europe, where it is due to open next month. A veteran film industry figure said: "We don't want to be on the side of those who support such anti-Semitism. When we distributed It's a Beautiful Life we were worried about the risk of making a comedy about the Holocaust, but that was different. There's enough anti-Semitic stuff circulating here already without us throwing oil on the fire."

The debate over the film is highly sensitive in France, where a spate of fire-bombings of synagogues and Jewish schools and attacks on rabbis in the past year has led Israel to denounce it as the most anti-Semitic country in Europe. Anger with Israel among France's large and growing Muslim population, combined with the strength of right-wing parties in some French districts, have contributed to an atmosphere that has alarmed political and Jewish leaders.

Last year Paris police were forced to set up a unit to deal with anti-Semitic crimes. Schoolteachers complain that they face a hostile reaction among Muslim students when trying to teach the history of the Holocaust, which some equate with Israel's actions against Palestinians. Now a string of major distributors have signalled they are not interested in the film. "We could have asked to see it but we haven't," said Jean-Claude Borde, director of Pathe Distribution.

[JLS]

I have the same reasoning but a different conclussion. Given the rampant anti-Semitism in France, this film could hardly start it. I guess one could worry it would ramp it up some.

[rovenstinez]

French boycott Mel Gibson??. That should even help the ratings...., and a country that now practices censorship, this will put them in a real pickle. For sure they can't be refusing the movie because of the English lanugage, I venture to wager that French people will go to the black market and this item will be available. About the movie being Anti Semitic?...How about Anti Roman!, it was the soldiers in the movie who with gusto, glee and glamour enjoyed the saddistic moment . THEY proved to be the real villains in the movie. So, let's hate Romans! (That message wasn't even in the movie.) Crazy world, some call 'evil' good, and others call 'good' evil.

[Mike Darancette]

France's large and growing Muslim population, combined with the strength of right-wing parties in some French districts, have contributed to an atmosphere that has alarmed political and Jewish leaders.

What evidence do they present that would lead the reader to believe that right-wing parties in France are the cause of French Antisemitism?

[buffyt]

EXCELLENT POINT! No problem here in Lake Jackson Texas. The theater was full of Christian church groups when we saw it LATE Wednesday night, and many of the movie goers had the mark of the cross still on their foreheads, put there by pastors and priests, with ashes. They were not an angry mob after the movie, everyone sat there in silence when the movie was over. No one moved for a few moments. No one ate their popcorn during the movie. It was very intense. It was very moving. It was NOT mob arrousing or angering.

[Eala]

I'm sure there is a phycological defect there somewhere.

Maybe they could get some help here?

[Eala]

They were not an angry mob after the movie, everyone sat there in silence when the movie was over. No one moved for a few moments. No one ate their popcorn during the movie. It was very intense. It was very moving. It was NOT mob arrousing or angering.

Same here in Seattle.

[battousai]

Ah yes French logic at work, because a bunch of Islamofacists burnt down Synagogues and attacked Jews, they won't show a Christian movie o.O

Yes its all clear now...

The truth is more likely that a country of liberals just can't stand the light of truth being shined upon them from this movie, I doubt they could care the least about the Jew's in their midst.

[monkeywrench]

"I saw Satan weaving in and out of the crowd, I think he was the one who was making it so difficult for Christ. Not the Romans, or the jews, or the mob, or the king..."

I think he's been weaving around france, too. It's a shame. Some people don't want the truth, and would deny it to everyone.

[AMDG&BVMH]

"Sadly, I think that this decision has less to do with legitimate fears of anti-semitism than the anti-Christian bigotries of socialist France"

. . . from "the first daughter of the Church". France has come a long way since Jean de Arc.

The Muslim population no doubt is a big factor.

BTW, wasn't THE HAMMER Charles? What did William do?

[Dick Vomer]

'nuff said... hee-hee-hee...

[Bonaparte]

"...because of fears that it may spark a new outbreak of anti-Semitism."

More to the point, it could spark a new outbreak of faith in Jesus Christ, something the French elites fear more than anything else. The months will roll by, there will be no spike in anti-Semitic incidents in the US, Germany and Australia, and the French will have to concoct a new excuse to deny this film a fair showing.

[weegee]

I wonder how long French film distributors will hold out before deciding that they'd make so much money with Passion, they'll do a Kerry?

France has prohibitions on how many "foreign" films can be screened there in a year. French film distributors may be holding out so that screens will be able to show more Johnny Depp movies.

[battousai]

It is such a great movie. I came away from it with the notion that it was Satan who was tormenting Christ, who was instigating the painful torture and beating, trying to get Christ to back out. Christ didn't back out, He didn't back down. I saw Satan weaving in and out of the crowd, I think he was the one who was making it so difficult for Christ. Not the Romans, or the jews, or the mob, or the king...

You know what I just came back from Sunday mass and our priest was talking about the movie during his sermon and he made the very same point, he joked that if anything Italians should be mad too since the Romans weren't shown to be a likable bunch either (its a majority Italian parish), but he said what he got from the movie was that the enemy is Satan, not one group of people or another, but the devil, and he felt it was accurate to the Gospels. I have yet to see it but intend to as soon as I get a chance.

[sl-17b]

OK. I'm going to ask a silly question here, but why are they (the French) worrying about the Muslims going to see this movie? While I understand the potential for anti-semitism, it seems to me the Muslims wouldn't want to see the movie in the first place. I mean, how many people on this board would go and see a movie about Mohamed?

[Scannall]

The French acting cowardly and craven? Who ever heard of such a thing?

Dan

[battousai]

I mean, how many people on this board would go and see a movie about Mohamed?

I would... if they served bacon cheeseburgers in the confectionery, I'd be happily munching away on the bacon :)

[JohnnyZ]

When we distributed It's a Beautiful Life we were worried about the risk of making a comedy about the Holocaust

I'm not sure I would call that (Life is Beautiful) a comedy.

Why is it so many people can't figure out the first thing about the movies they have such concern over?

Even something like Starship Troopers; it was criticized as a bad shoot-em-up movie, when it was blatant satire of debatable quality.

[Cicero]

Morons. The problem in France isn't with Christians. It's with Muslims first, Socialists second, and greedy businessmen and politicians who want to do business with the Arabs third.

I, too, think that the French authorities fear a revival of Christianity in France.

[Kay]

Maybe this censorship will jolt some French out of their apathetic mindset.

[Libertina]

The French have gotten themselves in a pretty little bind, now don't they? They have let in so many muslims they are now threatened in their own country and don't dare upset "them." Ah the religion of peace, how your scent so resembles aged French cheese.