An authentically political, theatrical and cinematic New Gospel for the 21st century

Cinema Documentary, Germany/Switzerland/Italy, 2020, 107 min. A production of Fruitmarket, Langfilm & IIPM – International Institute of Political Murder in coproduction with SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen / SRG SSR, ZDF in cooperation with ARTE in collaboration with Fondazione Matera Basilicata 2019, Consorzio Teatri Uniti di Basilicata and Teatro di Roma. Distributed by Port au Prince and Vinca Film 

„I think it really has become a biblical film adaptation for our time, with the first black Jesus in European film history and with a cast that is diverse in the best sense of the word. Besides international stars and politicians, activists, farm workers and normal citizens play the leading roles. Mary Magdalene is a main figure in our film, some of the apostles are female and – interesting fact – most of the apostels of our “new” Jesus are of Muslim faith. But what pleases me most is that our film had a real impact. As a consequence of the “Revolt of Dignity”, as you can see at the end of the film, the first “Houses of Dignity” were founded around Matera: houses where the previously homeless extras of the film can now live in dignity and self-determination. And this with the support of the Catholic Church!“ 

MILO RAU

Theatrical Release

FILM RELEASE: DECEMBER 17TH 2020
DIGITAL RELEASE: DECEMBER 27TH 2020 

Synopsis

What would Jesus preach in the 21st century? Who would his disciples be? And how would today’s bearers of secular and spiritual power respond to the return and provocations of one of the most influential prophets and social revolutionaries in human history?

Set in the southern Italian town of Matera, where both Pasolini and Gibson shot their legendary films on the life of Jesus, director Milo Rau (Das Kongo Tribunal, Locarno 2017) and his team return to the origins of the gospel and stage it as a passion play of an entire civilization.

Together with Cameroonian political activist Yvan Sagnet, Rau creates a biblical story that couldn’t be more topical. With “The Revolt of Dignity” they have created a political campaign that fights for the rights of migrants who came to Europe across the Mediterranean to be enslaved on the tomato fields in southern Italy and to live in ghettos under inhumane conditions. An authentically political as well as theatrical and cinematic New Gospel for the 21st century emerges. A manifesto of solidarity with the poorest, a revolt for a more humane world.

Numerous refugees, activists and citizens of Matera have participated in the film and are joined by Marcello Fonte (European Film Award for Best Actor 2018), Enrique Irazoqui (Jesus in Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Il Vangelo secondo Matteo), Maia Morgenstern (Mary in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of Christ) and singer-songwriter Vinicio Capossela.

Gallery

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    Near San Severo, Italy.

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    Metaponto, Italy.

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    Matera, Italy.
Press

Credits

THE NEW GOSPEL

with Yvan Sagnet, Papa Latyr Faye, Samuel Jacobs, Yussif Bamba, Jeremiah Akhere Ogbeide, Mbaye Ndiaye, Kadir Alhaji Nasir, Ali Soumaila, Vito Castoro, Marie Antoinette Eyango, Anthony Nwachukwu, Mohammed Souleiman, Alexander Kwaku Marfo, Blessing Ayomonsuru and many others

and Marcello Fonte, Enrique Irazoqui, Maia Morgenstern

with the voice and the songs of Vinicio Capossela

Conceived, Written and Directed by Milo Rau Producers Arne Birkenstock, Olivier Zobrist, Sebastian Lemke Director of Photography Thomas Eirich-Schneider Dramaturgy & Editing Katja Dringenberg Dramaturgy & Concept Eva-Maria Bertschy Dramaturgy & Assistant Director Giacomo Bisordi Set Design & Costumes Anton Lukas, Ottavia Castellotti Original Sound Marco Teufen, Julian Joseph Sound Editing Guido Keller, Dieter Lengacher Production Management Elisa Calosi, Laryssa Stone

FILM

A production of Fruitmarket, Langfilm & IIPM – International Institute of Political Murder in coproduction with SRF Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen / SRG SSR, ZDF in cooperation with ARTE in collaboration with Fondazione Matera Basilicata 2019, Consorzio Teatri Uniti di Basilicata and Teatro di Roma supported by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Bundesamt für Kultur (BAK), Zürcher Filmstiftung, DFFF – Deutscher Filmförderfonds, Kanton St.Gallen Kulturförderung / Swisslos, BKM – Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien, Volkart Stiftung, Suissimage Kulturfonds

LIVE EVENTS

A coproduction of IIPM – International Institute of Political Murder with Fondazione Matera Basilicata 2019, Teatro di Roma and NTGent in collaboration with Consorzio Teatri Uniti di Basilicata, Fruitmarket and Langfilm in association with ProLoco Ginosa, University of Applied Arts Vienna funded by German Federal Cultural Foundation, European Cultural Foundation, GEA – Waldviertler