Netflix parody film featuring gay Jesus sparks outrage as petition for its cancellation gets over two million signatures
This Christmas, Netflix will be releasing a parody Christmas film that features a gay Jesus who is bringing his boyfriend Orlando home to meet his parents.
Outraged by the concept, Alex Brindejoncy launched a petition against the film that has so far gained over a million signatures and counting.
The film is titled 'A Primeira Tentação de Cristo' (The First Temptation of Christ) and is already out on Netflix.
The "decision-makers" that the petition is addressed to include 'Porta dos Fundos' (Back Door), the Brazilian comedy group responsible for the film, Netflix, and both the houses of the Brazilian legislature. The petition calls for the removal of the film from Netflix's catalog, and demands they issue a public apology as the petition claims the movie has seriously offended Christians.
Aside from the basic references, the film very obviously has no grounding in religious history.
In the trailer, Orlando sings a version of 'Jingle Bells' on an electric keyboard, and other deities show up to help Jesus on his journey as he has to choose between leading his best gay life and saving mankind as the Son of God by dying for their sins on the cross.
Check out the (unsubtitled) trailer below.
Under President Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil has grown increasingly vocal against LGBTQ+ representations in media.
Recently, the Marvel comic 'Young Avengers' was under fire in the country for featuring a homosexual relationship between two of its main characters, Wiccan (Billy Kaplan) and Teddy Altman (Hulkling). The Mayor of Rio de Janeiro tried to get the comic banned, ultimately failing in his attempt.
At the time of publishing the article, the petition to take down 'A Primeira Tentação de Cristo" has reached 1,276,635 signatures, with more being added by the minute.
Netflix is yet to respond to the petition and has not taken the film down.