Division in the Village: A Black Jesus and the Refugee Debate

Division in the Village: A Black Jesus and the Refugee Debate

An impressive documentary by director Luca Lucchesi tells the story of a small village in southern Europe that is grouped around a statue of a black Jesus. The film adaptation with the title A Black Jesus from 2020 takes viewers on a journey to the origins of fear and prejudice against people who are perceived as “different”.

At the center of the plot is 19-year-old Edward, a refugee from Ghana who lives in a refugee center in the region. His desire to carry the Jesus statue together with the locals in an annual procession sparks a heated debate within the village community and leads to division. The tension that arises between the need for integration and the deep-rooted fears of the residents is a core theme of the film, which was officially released in cinemas in 2021 and deals with questions of identity and xenophobia that are still heavily discussed today.

Insights into reality, which is not always easy

The 92-minute documentary not only highlights the tradition of the annual procession on May 3rd in which the Black Christ is venerated, but also follows everyday life in Siculiana, Italy, where a refugee center has been controversial since 2014. Simple but powerful images show the challenges faced by both refugees and locals. The audience experiences first-hand how the dissolution of the refugee center abruptly ends the rapprochement between the two groups.

Luca Lucchesi, also responsible for camera and editing, addresses a variety of topics that are important to society in his work. The film was produced by Wim Wenders under the Road Movies film production company. The film's TV premiere also took place on November 23, 2022 on NDR and it was shown at numerous film festivals, including DOK Leipzig 2020 and Hot Docs 2021.

Social context and meaning

The film is not only an artistic work, but also a contribution to the social discussion about migration and identity. The article about identity, foreignness and hybridity in the context of migration describes how well these topics are reflected within society. Such discourses are important to gain deeper insight into the interaction between locals and migrants and ultimately to promote understanding of the challenges that both groups experience. Topics like these are crucial to challenging societal prejudices and deepening dialogue.

With the Movie A Black Jesus Viewers now have the opportunity to take a look at these explosive topics and grapple with the complexity of human identity - in a world where dialogue between different cultures is more important than ever.