In a turn of event, Netflix will retain controversial film “The First Temptation of Jesus” on its streaming platform after a Brazil supreme court ruled in its favour on Thursday, January 10, 2020.
AFP reports that judge Antonio Diaz Toffoli, head of Supreme Federal Court, supported Netflix’s appeal against banning the movie.
It denied the idea that the movie was insulting to Christians.
“One cannot suppose that a humorous satire has the ability to weaken the values of the Christian faith, whose existence is traced back more than two thousand years, and which is the belief of the majority of Brazilian citizens,” the judge said.
Netflix came out in support of the show on Wednesday. A spokesperson for Netflix said, “We strongly support artistic expression and we will fight to defend this important principle, which is the heart of great stories”.
In a statement, Rio-based film company, Porta dos Fundos said it “opposed any act of censorship, violence, illegality, authoritarianism” and vowed to continue broadcasting its work.
It comes barely 24 hours after a lower court in Brazil had ruled that Netflix should take down the film depicting Jesus as gay from its streaming platform.
In his ruling, the judge said that the freedom of expression exhibited in the movie is likely to cause graver and more irreparable damage than its suspension.
‘The First Temptation of Jesus’ was created by Brazilian YouTube comedy group Porta dos Fundos. Since its release on December 3, 2019, the film has caused massive uproar among Christians around the world, especially in Brazil whose citizens are predominantly Christian.
It culminated in more than 2 million petitions signed by those calling for its removal from the streaming platform.
