Makers of film on Jesus unfazed by objections

Cairo: Christian scriptwriter Fayez Ghali believes it is high time the Egyptian cinema produced a movie on Jesus Christ to revive his call for tolerance and forgiveness "in our times of conflicts and bloodshed".

"My script covers Jesus Christ's life, with particular attention to his early years, including the four years the Holy Family spent in Egypt," he said. Though the script for the movie planned to be bankrolled by three Muslims has not been finalised yet, the project has drawn fire from Christian and Muslim authorities.

Al Azhar, Sunni Islam's highest institution is displeased with the project. "Al Azhar objects to the depiction of prophets," said Abdul Moati Bayoumi, a member of the Islamic Research Academy, the influential arm of Al Azhar.

"Therefore, we'll object to shooting a movie on the Christ whom we glorify as we do towards the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)," Bayoumi told Gulf News. He said that Al Azhar has not been approached for an opinion on the movie.

"Al Azhar will not intervene unless it is requested. We do not interfere in shooting movies or banning their showing if nobody turns to us for this."

Bayoum explained that Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ was screened in Egypt with no objection from Al Azhar because "it was not shown to Al Azhar in the first place".

The Coptic Church is opposed to the making of an Egyptian movie on Christ. Pope Shenouda, the highest Christian cleric in Egypt, is reportedly opposed to depicting Christ in an Egyptian movie.

"There is no person in Egypt who could portray Jesus Christ," Al Mussawar magazine quoted him as telling a recent clerical meeting in Cairo.

The writer is a journalist based in Cairo