International Activist Group Protests against “blasphemous” Catholic-framed Film

Nairobi, 08 September, 2021 / 8:45 PM

The leadership of an international Catholic activist organization is calling for the stopping of a film it describes as blasphemous and offensive for its portrayal of the Catholic Church.

Produced by director Paul Verhoeven and the Zurich-based production company, Pathé Films AG, the ill-famed film dubbed Benedetta is said to portray “Catholic Nuns” in many pornographic scenes.

In a Tuesday, September 7 petition, officials of CitizenGo which works to ensure that those in power respect human dignity and individuals’ rights, express their bafflement that only a few people seem bothered by the film that defames the Catholic Church.

“This time it is not Netflix going astray, but director Paul Verhoeven and the Zurich-based production company Pathé Films AG. His film ‘Benedetta’ was shown as a competition entry at the film festival and soon released,” officials of the organization report.

They describe the film as “a lesbian porn film” depicting the nun, Benedetta, as a mystical “nun” who receives visions in her convent and has fun with another young lesbian “nun”, Batolomea, in many lesbian pornographic scenes.

According to the leadership of CitizenGo, the producers of this film, which is only banned for children under 12, highlight a scene where the “nuns” indulge in sexual pleasures “with a small statue of the Virgin Mary.”

“Many of the scenes are shocking and are not only loosely based on a partially true story but once again besmirch Catholicism and trivialize pornography for the general public and young people,” the leadership of the organization laments.

“Few people seem bothered by the gratuitous hatred and blasphemy,” the leadership of CitizenGo note, and add, “While even harmless satirical depictions of Mohammed have provoked massive public outrage and accusations of Islamophobia, this open attack on Christianity has received no attention from journalists, politicians, and experts.”

The organization decries the double standards portrayed in religion and laments that had the film been attacking Islam, many politicians and the media would have been the first to denounce it for being insensitive “or for whipping up hatred towards a religious minority.”

CitizenGo calls upon as many people as possible to protest against the film, which they find directed against the Catholic Church.

“Help us break the silence and protest against this blasphemous, pornographic film directed against the Catholic faith being released in cinemas - sign the petition to Jérome Seydoux, Co-President of the production company Pathé Films and ask him to stop Benedetta!” the organization says.