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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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Presskit

DIRECT ORDER DVD 

WATCH ON VOD 

QUEERFILMNACHT

MÄRZ 2026

ENZO 

ein Film von Laurent Cantet; Regie: Robin Campillo

FR/BE/IT 2025, 102 Minuten, OmdU

Mo 9.3., 20.00, Votivkino Wien
Mi, 11.3., 20.40, KIZ Royal Kino, Graz
D0 19.3., 20.10, Volkskino Klagenfurt
Do 26.3., 20.30 Cinematograph Innsbruck

 

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NEWS

JETZT IM KINO:

RENATE 

Ein Film von Martin Nguyen 

Wien: 
Topkino OmenglUT 
09.,16., 22., 29.4.2026 Lungauer Kulturverein 

Special Screenings mit RENATE WELSH und MARTIN NGUYEN: 
9.4., 18.00 ADMIRALKINO  TICKETS 
Moderation Anna Katharina Laggner (Autorin) 
21.4., 20.00 KINO FREISTADT

5.5. CINEMA PARADISO BADEN 
 

ORT OHNE ERINNERUNG. KAISERSTEINBRUCH, die verschwundene Geschichte

Ein Film von Reinhard Tötschinger 

Fr 27.3., Sa 28.3., jeweils 18.00 KULTUR ON, Bruck/Leitha

28.3., 20.15 KINO FREISTADT Tickets 
In Anwesenheit des Regisseurs Reinhard Tötschinger 

21.4. MARKTGEMEINDE WAGNA, Lagerbaracke Wagna 

 

Ab 10. APRIL im KINO:
 

MIRELLA 

Ein Film von Oliver Bruck 

Wien-Premiere: 

Fr 10. April, 19.00 Metro Kinokultuhaus, Wien 
Special Guests: Amina Ricciardi - Dempsey, Gus Dempsey 
In Anwesenheit des Regisseurs Oliver Bruck und Team 
 

Graz-Premiere: 
Do 9. April, 18.00 KIZ Royal Kino, Graz
In Anwesenheit des Regisseurs Oliver Bruck 
 

Wels-Premiere: 
Sa 11. April, 18.15 
In Anwesenheit des Regisseurs Oliver Bruck 

Ab 10. April in folgenden Kinos: 

Wien: Metro Kinokulturhaus 
Linz: Moviemento 
Wels: Programmkino Wels
Innsbruck: Leokino 
Graz: KIZ Royalkino 

weitere Kinos folgen 
 

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

INT. PREMIERE @ CPH:DOX 

Highlights Section
12 March, 20.00 
18 March, 12.15, 21.15
20 March, 21.00
 

EPOS ARTS FILM FESTIVAL, IL
4th April 

ONE WORLD FF

DESERT PASSAGES

A film by  Kevin Brennan, Laurence Durkin

17.3. 20.30 Worldpremiere with the directors  

19.3. 17.00 

 

DIAGONALE 2026

PORTRAIT OF NOWNESS  
Ein Film von Juri Rechinsky und Mario Hainzl

19.3. 21.00 Annenhof 6 Weltpremiere 
20.3. 14.00 KIZ 1

DIE KUNSTKOMPLIZEN 
Ein Film von Ebba Sinzinger 

20.3. 16.30 Annenhof 5 OmeU Weltpremiere
22.3. 11.00 KIZ

WHERE YOU MEET US SOON IN PERSON

18 - 22 March Diagonale 

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