“There is an internal conflict to reach faith rather than faith just coming to us out of nothing. It is something which is not logical but it doesn’t go against logic.”

This was one of many reflections given to us by three practicing priests in Malta after they watched the first preview of the new film ’Risen’, starring Joseph Fiennes which was filmed in Malta and Spain to be officially released in Malta on 9 March.

The Malta Independent went to Embassy Cinemas in Valletta and, after seeing the closing scene of the film about the resurrection of Christ from death, spoke to three of the clerical audience members to find out what they thought of the film. Particularly to find out their thoughts on the fact that the plot is being untraditionally told from a non-believer’s perspective in 33 AD, when a Roman Tribune in Judea is tasked to find the missing body of an executed Jew rumored to have risen from the dead.

The above quote is from the comments of Fr Konrad Grech SJ, who is the Head of Department of Church History, Patrology and Palæochristian Archeology. He also spoke of the film being “A great, positive film done for this day and age. It hits the essentials of faith, the belief in Christ and the way that one reaches faith, which is a gift. The film shows the journey and risks towards faith with all the doubts and fears, which the first Christians went through.

“It goes away from science or cynicism, it leaves everything up for the individual’s interpretation to lead himself to faith.” When asked specifically about the role of the non-believer in the film, Fr Grech replied that “it has a larger impact because non-believers are the ones called to be believers.”

Fr Vincent Borg, the Archpriest of St Paul’s Parish Church in Valletta said that one needs to have a very closed heart not to be moved by this film. “The non-believer finally said that since he met Christ, he changed. And this is what a sincere heart is, as far as I’m concerned. He who was living in sin changed and he said that he can never be the same. That is the moral, when you really meet Jesus, a good heart, even if it is closed, will change.”

Also present was the former chairman of Curia’s Film Classification Board, Fr Joseph Henry Abela who called it a “profound film which presents the gospel in a way where, if one wants to believe, they can. It was worked in a certain way where the reality of doubts of Romans who were used to the concept of ‘logic’ who don’t accept things which are above the mind. It shows the struggle of man trying to believe in God and in all that is good. You see these apostles who are slowly accepting the reality of Christ. I believe that every Christian should watch this film, and anyone who doesn’t believe should watch it too. Not to convert, but to learn what the truth is.”

Fr Abela also went so far as to say that if anyone who hasn’t been to any form of Lenten talks, watching this film should be enough, quipping that “They can obviously have some popcorn and a drink.” Speaking about the role of the non-believer, Fr Abela mused that “when you do anything based on faith; you always have to start with someone who knows nothing or who doesn’t want to accept it. When you do it this way, it gives the story a lot more bearing. Today’s reality is one where if one doesn’t see, hear or feel, one does not believe. But then when we are faced with a true harsh reality, our minds and hearts tend to change. If man learns to pause and not jump to conclusions, then the mind can expand and the heart can grow leading to a forming of understanding.”

TMI also got a comment from Charles Pace, the Managing Director of KRS Releasing Ltd, who is responsible for the film previewing and being released in Malta before 14 other countries. “We brought similar films before, such as ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ and ‘The Passion of the Christ’, both of which we also previewed in Malta before the international premiers. The latter is still the second most popular film of all time in Malta, after ‘Titanic’.

“‘Risen’ is premiering in England on 18 March, and we spoke to Sony about the possibility of releasing it earlier in Malta during lent as we felt that it was the appropriate time to release this film which shows the entire passion and ascension. There are only five countries which have released the film to date; America, Canada, Poland, the Philippines and Malta. There are 14 other counties in which the film has yet to be released.”