Judas’ Gospel by Giulio Base, freely adapted from the New Testament, aims to explore one of the most controversial figures in human history. The film almost entirely eschews dialogue to give free rein to the narrative, in a voice that becomes liturgy, invocation, and sometimes blasphemy.
It was filmed over four weeks in Calabria: Curinga, near the thousand-year-old plane tree; Corigliano-Rossano, in the Abbazia del Patire; Cleto, near the castles of Cleto and Savuto and the Savuto river; on the shores of lake Cecita in the Sila national park; in the rock caves and at the Grancia del Vurdoj farm in Caccuri; on mount Cocuzzo in Mendicino; at the Swabian Castle and in the historic centre of Cosenza. The crew included 71 Calabrian professionals.
Judas’ Gospel by Giulio Base, freely adapted from the New Testament, aims to explore one of the most controversial figures in human history. The film almost entirely eschews dialogue to give free rein to the narrative, in a voice that becomes liturgy, invocation, and sometimes blasphemy.
It was filmed over four weeks in Calabria: Curinga, near the thousand-year-old plane tree; Corigliano-Rossano, in the Abbazia del Patire; Cleto, near the castles of Cleto and Savuto and the Savuto river; on the shores of lake Cecita in the Sila national park; in the rock caves and at the Grancia del Vurdoj farm in Caccuri; on mount Cocuzzo in Mendicino; at the Swabian Castle and in the historic centre of Cosenza. The crew included 71 Calabrian professionals.
Agnus Dei Production, Minerva Pictures, Agresywna Banda, Rai Cinema
A fortune teller predicted that his mother, a prostitute, would give birth to a devil. Pregnant by an unknown client, she dies giving birth to a boy the other girls in the brothel name: Judas. Judas is still a child when he kills the brothel owner who tries to rape him. Hardened by grief, the boy grows up fast, and takes over the place where he was born and raised: becoming rich by selling women. When a young man named Jesus saves Mary Magdalene (his sister and one of his "proteges") from stoning, Judas is captivated; he leaves everything behind to follow the "healer". Judas the sinner, Judas the exploiter, Judas the pimp, and Judas, the last of the apostles to be called.
There come years of preaching and wandering for Jesus and his disciples, years of uninterrupted coexistence, of success, defeat, triumph, and fear.
The fateful Last Supper unfolds, and the well-known events of the Passion... but the Gospel according to Judas is different.
He betrays Jesus by condemning himself to damnation, so that what is written may be fulfilled.
It is a lengthy, heart-breaking confession.
Judas believes his purpose is to be an essential instrument in the fulfilment of prophecy, but to do so, he must become one of the worst villains of all time, although he is actually one of the most generous: he gives his life.
Judas is the only apostle to die with Jesus.
He who lived by selling women, dies by selling a man.
