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They say there is no such thing as bad publicity, and a recent group of protesters have proven this age-old adage to be true when they picketed the New York Film Festival Premiere of Benedetta earlier this week, describing it as a 鈥渂lasphemous lesbian movie鈥�.

Benedetta, is the work of director Paul Verhoeven and is based on the book Immodest Acts: The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy听by Judith Brown. It tells the true story of a 17th-century nun named Benedetta Carlini who had a sexual relationship with a fellow nun.

While the film explores a “forbidden lesbian affair”, it is Benedetta鈥檚 scandalous religious visions that seem to have upset some Catholic groups.

The group of protestors were from the American Society for the Defence of Tradition, Family and Property, who according to its website are focused on addressing the 鈥渕oral crisis shaking the remnants of Christian civilization.鈥�

Film Festival Trolls Protestors

In footage of the protestors outside New York鈥檚 Alice Tully Hall, which has since gone viral, they can be seen chanting Hail Marys into megaphones while holding banners. One banner read 鈥淲e vehemently protest the blasphemous lesbian movie Benedetta, that insults the sanctity of Catholic nuns.鈥�

鈥淲hy the endless insults to Jesus?鈥� asks another banner, while a third urged cinemagoers to 鈥淪top blasphemy now!鈥�

But, according at least, the protestors fears of a 鈥渕oral crisis shaking the remnants of Christian civilisation鈥� wasn鈥檛 enough to prevent them from watching the Benedetta.

Inside the theatre before the premiere began, New York Film Festival programmer Dennis Lim asked the audience 鈥淗ow many Catholics are with us?鈥� to which a third of the audience raised their hands.

Not one鈥檚 to miss a moment, the New York Film Festival were quick to jump on the controversy, footage of the protesters to spruik the film鈥檚 remaining sessions.

BENEDETTA plays today at 3pm and again on Tuesday at 8:30pm at . Get tickets:

— New York Film Festival (@TheNYFF)

Australia Will Have To Wait For ‘Blasphemous Lesbian Movie’

Verhoeven, who is known for his signature blend of graphic violence, sexual content and social satire, told media at Cannes Film Festival that he felt no shame towards the film. His previous credits include Showgirls, Basic Instinct and Elle.

听鈥淚 don鈥檛 understand really how you can be blasphemous about something that happened,鈥� Verhoeven explained. 鈥淓ven if it鈥檚 in 1625, it鈥檚 true, mostly. Of course, we changed a little bit.鈥�

Twenty two years ago, the film Dogma starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as fallen angels, received a similar reception. Upon its release, it was likewise protested by American Society for the Defence of Tradition, Family and Property, who similarly claimed that their anger was based on blasphemous grounds.

Australian audiences will have to wait until February 2022 to catch Benedetta in cinemas. Regardless, thanks to the protestors Benedetta has now been reported on by a number of international news outlets, with many wet with anticipation of checking out this 鈥渂lasphemous lesbian movie鈥� for themselves.