Catholic group criticises Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta as a ‘blasphemous lesbian movie’

There’s no better free publicity than having protesters show up with placards damning your movie.

Nothing guarantees movie publicity more than a group of protesters.

It might not be what the protesters had in mind when they showed up at the New York Film Festival premiere of Benedetta, brandishing placards and signs, but the fuss was always going to attract the kind of attention that would benefit Paul Verhoeven’s movie.

“Blasphemous lesbian movie”, you say? Where can I buy a ticket to this movie few had heard of until now.

Verhoeven’s movie was criticised by a small group from the American Society for the Defence of Tradition, Family and Property, which also claimed that Benedetta “insults the sanctity of Catholic nuns” while asking the question, “Why the endless insults to Jesus?”.

BENEDETTA plays today at 3pm and again on Tuesday at 8:30pm at #NYFF59. Get tickets: https://t.co/9M0EnvV3Hhpic.twitter.com/K2XPEhCAeE

— 59th New York Film Festival (@TheNYFF) September 26, 2021

If I was on the Benedetta PR/distribution team, I’d immediately release a poster with “blasphemous lesbian movie” as a prominent quote. https://t.co/FI5lHTDDaN

— Rafa Sales Ross (@rafiews) September 26, 2021

According to website Indiewire, the protesters were reciting “Hail Mary” prayers into megaphones.

The organisation, which claims to present the views of concerned Catholic Americans, has 120,000 members and is also active in protesting family planning clinics and features on its website petitions against Amazon Prime movies, LGBTQIA+ sellers on Etsy, Netflix, Kellogg’s cereal and rainbow-coloured Lego toys.

Verhoeven’s movie premiered earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival, in the official competition, where it received a five-minute standing ovation.

The film is based on the true story of a 17th century nun, Benedetta Carlini, who had a sexual relationship with a fellow nun. It stars Virginie Efira, Lambert Wilson, Daphne Patakia and Charlotte Rampling.

Catholics protesters showed up to the New York Film Festival screening of Paul Verhoeven's Benedetta. Picture: Pathe

Verhoeven, the Dutch director of Basic Instinct, Total Recall and Showgirls, gave an interview earlier this year to The Hollywood Reporter in which he said he never sets out to provoke.

“Actually, I don’t think the film will be scandalous – at least not in Western Europe. Maybe Americans will see it differently, though. There is more puritanism in the US. I saw that with Basic Instinct and even more with Showgirls.”

Benedetta isn’t the first time a Catholic group has protested a film at the New York Film Festival.

Kevin Smith’s film Dogma famously attracted Catholic protesters who took offence at the movie, starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as two fallen angels contriving to re-enter heaven. Alanis Morissette played a wordless God.

Benedetta will be released in Australia in February 2022 by Hi Gloss Entertainment and Vendetta Films.

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