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A Black Jesus

DE 2020, 92 min, Luca Lucchesi

In Siculiana, a small Sicilian town in the province of Agrigento, the statue of a black Jesus has been venerated for centuries. On May 3rd, the crucifix is carried on the shoulders of chosen devotees in procession through the crowded streets of the town. On this occasion, hundreds of Siculianesi emigrants return from every part of Italy and abroad to pay homage to their patron saint.

In 2014, Villa Sikania, a hotel on the verge of bankruptcy, was converted by the owners into a reception centre for asylum seekers. At the height of the migrant crisis the centre hosted up to 1000 guests – a third of the local population. However, few Siculianesi have ever exchanged a single word with them.

The Siculianesi, who have always been a population of emigrants, have to deal with an exodus of young people and therefore with the lack of a workforce. One possible answer to the town's problems could be the young migrants present at Villa Sikania: their willingness to undertake any honest work could revive the fate of Siculiana. But their status as asylum seekers makes it impossible for them to make short or long-term plans or to obtain employment contracts. Siculianesi and migrants remain divided, not speaking with each other out of fear, but also because the Italian government has not attempted to create a fruitful dialogue between these two different faces of poverty.

The drowsy stagnancy of Siculiana is stirred up by the arrival of Edward, a 19-year old migrant from Ghana. He is immediately fascinated by the figure of the black Jesus, who he discovers for the first time during the 2018 procession. Edward decides to challenge the indifference of the Siculianesi. He asks them for the greatest honour: to participate, together with his friends Peter and Samuel, as bearers of the black Jesus statue during the celebrations of May 3rd.

Dialogue and understanding finally seem possible. But how much power do individuals and communities really have, within a system designed to divide rather than unite?

The result of two years of immersive research within the community of Siculiana, A BLACK JESUS is a modern parable about the fragile path towards equality and brotherhood among all human beings.

 

Watch online.

 

festivals

UNAFF 2020, US | DOK Leipzig 2020, DE | This Human World FF 2020, AT | Efebo D'Oro 2020, IT | MIFF Awards 2020, IT | Filmfestival Max Ophüls Preis 2021, DE | Bolzano Film Festival 2021, IT | Visions du Réel 2021, CH | Hot Docs 2021, CA | CPH:DOX 2021, DK | San Sebastian Human Rights FF 2021, ES | Doku Bazaar 2021, SI | Festival of Tolerance 2021, HR | Sole Luna Doc 2021, IT | Beyond Borders Int. Documentary Festival 2021, GR | Astra Film Festival 2021, RO | Docs Against Gravity 2021, PL | Festival Internazionale Cinema Di Frontiera 2021, IT | Doclisboa 2021, PT | Swidnica Film Festival 2021, PL | Sydney Film Festival 2021, AU | Calgary Justice Film Festival 2021, CA | Tenemos Que Ver 2021, UY | PriMed 2021, FR | Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival 2022, US | Foça International Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Documentary Film Days 2022, TR

awards

Premio Speciale Centro Ricerca Narrative e Cinema (Efebo D'Oro 2020) | Best Sound design and High school student ward - Best doc (Sole Luna Doc 2021) | Special Jury Prize (Beyond Borders Int. Documentary Festival 2021) | Audience Award (Swidnica Film Festival 2021) | Broadcasting Award RAI (PriMed 2021, FR)
 

pictures

©RoadMovies
©RoadMovies
©RoadMovies
©RoadMovies
©RoadMovies
©RoadMovies
©RoadMovies
©RoadMovies
©Paolo Indelicato
©Paolo Indelicato

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DIRECT ORDER DVD 

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QUEERFILMNACHT

APRIL 2026

LOVE ME TENDER 

ein Film von Anna Cazenave Cambet
FR 2025, 133 min, OmU, Cannes Un Certain Regard 2026, mit: Vicky Krieps

MI 8.4., 20.40 KIZ ROYAL KINO
MO 20.4., 20.00 VOTIVKINO Wien
MO 27.4. 20.30 LEOKINO 

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NEWS

Ab 8. Mai im KINO: 
 

DIE KUNSTKOMPLIZEN 

Ein Film von Ebba Sinzinger 

Premieren in Anwesenheit von Ebba Sinzinger und PRINZpod 
Fr 1.5., 18.00 Crossing Europe FF, Linz
Mi 6.5., 20.00 Leokino, Innsbruck 
Fr 8.5., 20.00 Metro Kinokulturhaus 
Mi 13.5. 18.00 Kino im Kesselhaus 

Sonderveranstaltung:
11.5., 20.00 Metro Kinokulturhaus 

ab 8. Mai in folgenden Kinos: 
Wien: Metro Kinokulturhaus 
Linz: Moviemento 
Graz: KIZ Royal Kino 
Innsbruck: Leokino
Villach: Filmstudio (8.+9.5., 13.+14.5.) 

Krems: Kino im Kesselhaus (13., 14., 15.5.) 
weitere Kinos folgen

 

JETZT im KINO:
 

MIRELLA 

Ein Film von Oliver Bruck 

Linz: Moviemento 
Wels: Programmkino Wels
Innsbruck: Leokino 
Graz: KIZ Royalkino 

weitere Kinos folgen 

 

RENATE 

Ein Film von Martin Nguyen 

09.,16., 22., 29. April 2026 Lungauer Kulturverein 

21. April, 20.00 KINO FREISTADT
In Anweseheit von Renate Welsh und Martin Nguyen

3.5. + 10.5., 11.30 Cinema Paradiso St. Pölten 

5. Mai CINEMA PARADISO BADEN 
In Anweseheit von Renate Welsh und Martin Nguyen

ORT OHNE ERINNERUNG. KAISERSTEINBRUCH, die verschwundene Geschichte

Ein Film von Reinhard Tötschinger 

21.4. MARKTGEMEINDE WAGNA, Lagerbaracke Wagna 

9., 10. + 12.5. KINO EBENSEE 
In Koop. mit dem Zeitgeschichte Museum Ebensee

22.5. KAISERSTEINBRUCH, Feuerwehrhaus 

 

GemeindeKINOs schaffen KINOgemeinden

Erlebt echte Kinomomente bei euch im Ort!
Eine Vielzahl ausgewählter Filme findet Ihr auf  

www.gemeindekino.at oder
www.facebook.com/GemeindeKINO
 

ALARM jetzt STREAMEN

Kino Vod Club, Watch AUT
 

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FESTIVALS

SIRI HUSTVEDT Dance Around the Self

A film by Sabine Lidl 

April,  Epos Arts Film Festival, IL 

8 - 17 May, Millenium Doc Against Gravity, PL 

NOMINATED FOR THE GERMAN FILM AWARDS 2026 

in the Categories: Best Documentary
Best Editing
 

ELEMENTS OF(F) BALANCE

A film by Othmar Schmiderer 

8 - 17 May Millenium Doc Against Gravity, PL
Green Competition 

DIE KUNSTKOMPLIZEN

A film by Ebba Sinzinger 

1 May Crossing Europe FF, Linz 

LOIS WEINBERGER - Ruderal Society

A film by Markus Heltschl

10 - 19 April Bolzano Film Festival (int. Premiere) 

6 - 18 May DokFest München 

PORTRAIT OF NOWNESS

A film y Juri Rechinsky & Mario Hainzl

21st April Zagreb Dox (Int. Premiere) 

WHERE YOU MEET US SOON IN PERSON

28 April - 3 May Crossing Europe Film Festival 

6 - 10 May DokFest München 

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