"The Passion of the Christ" resounding success as moviegoers search for traces of anti-Semitism
Ramallah (AsiaNews) Basciar is just seven years old, but has managed to obtain a pirated copy of Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ".
The boy was caught on Arab television with a huge smile on his face, with a huge grin of someone who has just received a long awaited present. TV cameras filmed him from the doorway of his home as he hollered to friends and neighbors to come watch the film with him.
He bought the CD at school in Ramallah where last week many other copies were burned and sold. Gibson's film is the first in the history of the movie-making industry and Palestine to have been in such demand by so many people. Palestinians, Muslims and Christians are all drawn to the film and not merely for religious reasons but also due to the media blitz the movie has received.
Illegal copies are available everywhere at market stands, in schools, in grocery stores and at souvenir shops at nearly the same price of 4 US dollars. Many of those interviewed by AsiaNews say they have watched the film "to challenge the Israeli enemy".
Ali Batha is a student at the University of Berzet who said she watched the film at home with other friends "out of curiosity", to understand the reasons behind Jewish anger as well that of religious leaders and critics. Yet the film, which he initially watched due to his inquisitive nature, has led Ali Batha to admit the movie is "one of greatest in history" and "a product of incredible of movie-making skills." He added that he was almost disappointed that he "didn't find anything that sparks anti-Semitism".
The film has gained the enthusiasm of Holy Land Catholics for obvious reasons. Fr. Ayad al Tawwal, of the Beit Jala monastery, said the film's success is partly due to "its Lenten release and nearness to the Christian Easter holiday period." Like many others, Fr. Ayad believes that many Muslim Palestinians are curious to watch the film on account of the accusations of anti-Semitism the film has received from some members of the Jewish community.
By seeing it Palestinians "challenge the Jewish disapproval" of the film. Young lay people in the Palestinian Catholic Church have downloaded the film from a web site and share the film among themselves as if it were "testimony to Christ's suffering for our sins", Charbel Giabbur told AsiaNews. "There is a certain similarity between Christ's Passion and that which we suffer each day in our real lives, journeying along our own unending (road to) Calvary", he added.
Bethlehem's International Cultural Convention Center has organized daily showings of the film in one of its halls. Gibson's film has also been seen in many cities and towns in the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat saw the film last week together with members of the Muslim and Christian clergy. At the end of the film some of his entourage said Arafat remarked "the movie contains nothing which raises anti-Semitic sentiments." (P.B.)
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