Protests against ‘blasphemous lesbian movie’ - NEWS.com.au

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.

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?”.

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

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.