Jesus Film Postponed After Coke Complain

I've just come across this bizarre story from Variety. An Italian film called 7km From Jerusalem was due to be released on Good Friday. It's difficult to decipher the synopsis that appears on the official website, because not only is it in Italian, but even its Google translation is very unclear. Nevertheless, it appears that the film is about a man who (physically) meets Jesus on a road near Emmaus. Initially the man doesn't believe it when Jesus reveals who he is. Ultimately however, Jesus explains that he said he would return and he sets the man three challenges. This would seem to be the main point of the plot, so it appears that the role of Jesus is at the very least pivotal, but may also be fairly substantial.

However, what really caused controversy, was the scene where the man offers Jesus a drink of Coke. Despite at least one Vatican insider seeming happy with it (Krystov Zanussi was part of a film festival jury that actually approved it), the soft drinks firm baulked at the inclusion of their product. They requested the scene be cut, and so the release of 7km was delayed at short notice in order to make the relevant cuts.

The film is based on an Italian book also called "7km from Jerusalem", and stars soap star Luca Ward and Rosalinda Celentano (Satan in The Passion of the Christ)

Story also covered by Cinnematical.