Gibson hits back at accusations
2003-06-15 10:04
Los Angeles - Hollywood star and filmmaker Mel Gibson has hit out for the first time at claims that either he or his controversial new film about the death of Christ was anti-Semitic or anti-Catholic.
The comments, made in an exclusive statement to entertainment industry bible Daily Variety on Friday, mark the first time that the star, who is a strict Catholic, has spoken out about the furore.
"To be certain, neither I nor my film is anti-Semitic," Gibson said following an outcry sparked by fears that the movie, The Passion, which is still in production, might portray both Jews and Catholic in a negative life.
"If the intense scrutiny during my 25 years in public life revealed I had ever persecuted or discriminated against anyone based on race or creed, I would be all too willing to make amends. But there is no such record.
"Nor do I hate anybody - certainly not the Jews," Gibson wrote, adding that many of his friends and business associates were Jewish.
"Anti-Semitism is not only contrary to my personal beliefs, it is also contrary to the core message of my movie," he said.
The statement came after the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, which along with the Jewish Anti-Defamation League had also criticised the movie after obtaining a copy of the script, apologised for its stance.
"The Passion is a movie meant to inspire not offend," Gibson said of the movie that portrays the last hours in the life of Christ and parts of which are played in the ancient tongues of Latin and Aramaic.
"My intention in bringing it to the screen is to create a lasting work of art and engender serious thought among audiences of diverse faith backgrounds (or none) who have varying familiarity with this story," Gibson said.
A firestorm erupted over the film in March after a US newspaper delved into the Traditional Catholic beliefs of Gibson's father Hutton Gibson which quoted family patriarch as denying the Nazi Holocaust ever took place.
Traditional Catholics distanced themselves from the mainstream church after they refused to accept the changes made in the church by the Second Vatican Council in which ended in 1966.
The council liberalised some ancient traditions and allowed masses to be conducted in local languages instead of Latin.
Following the New York Times article, Jewish and Catholic scholars launched a campaign against The Passion fearing it might espouse the opinions reportedly voiced by Gibson's father.
Gibson's production company, Icon, is in talks with the Anti-Defamation League in a bid to persuade it to public reverse its opinion on the movie in a similar move to the US Catholic bishops.
Gibson's Icon productions is aiming to release the $25m movie in the spring of 2004.
- AFX