“All of the uninformed protest will only serve to fuel attendance for what turns out to be a very fine, thoughtful and beautifully performed rumination on Jesus and the difficulty of living according to His principles.” - Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune

“At the bottom of the controversy is an intense, utterly sincere, frequently fascinating piece of art by a director for whom, clearly, the message of Jesus' life has immediacy and meaning.” - Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times

Saturday, September 2 & Saturday, September 9 | With its screenplay by Paul Schrader (TAXI DRIVER), Scorsese’s ambitious and personal examination of faith stars an outstanding Willem Dafoe as Jesus Christ struggling with his religious and political convictions. Upon its release, the film received as much intense hostility as it did critical acclaim, with boycotts organized by Christian groups who condemned the film’s departure from gospel narratives, including a sex scene between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Protests were staged at Universal Studios, and the studio responded with an open letter in newspapers across the country reiterating that it was the First Amendment right of Americans to see the film. Nevertheless, the film was banned in New Orleans, Oklahoma City, and Savannah; theater chains pulled the title from their lineups for fear of retribution and picketers; and, according to Roger Ebert, Scorsese received death threats from evangelical zealots, many of whom—of course—had not seen the film.

Awards & Nominations

Nominee - Best Director, Academy Awards
Winner - Filmcritica "Bastone Bianco" Award, Venice Film Festival

Contra/Banned Series: As a disturbing wave of bans—on books, on bodies, on identities—continues to sweep across the United States, the Film Center declares: get your censorship off our cinema. With Contra/Banned, we present 10 films that have experienced, in varying absurd degrees, their own bans and outcries, their own protests and regulations. The films of Contra/Banned are at times subversive, controversial, taboo, provocative, and shocking. Sounds like a good time at the movies to us. View full series.

The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu