Photo: VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty
Nun-ya business.
Director Paul Verhoeven, whose new movieBenedettadetails the steamy relationship of two nuns in the 17th century, responded to critics who called his religious film “blasphemous.”
“I don’t really understand how you can really [be] blasphemous about something that happened — even if it’s in 1625,” Verhoeven, 82, said during a press conference at the 74th AnnualCannes Film Festival, whereBenedettapremiered on Friday.
“It’s true, mostly. I mean, of course, we changed a little bit. But it is not… why would [you] talk about blasphemy about something that happened 4, 500 years ago? I think that’s wrong,” he added.
Verhoeven basedBenedettaon Judith C. Brown’s nonfiction bookImmodest Acts – The Life of a Lesbian Nun in Renaissance Italy.
One scene in the period drama sees a statue of the Virgin Mary being used as a sex toy, which Comingsoon.net wrote “results in just free blasphemy.” Indiewire declared that Verhoeven presents “a generally blasphemous — or perhaps just humanistic? — attitude toward the dogmas of the Catholic Church.” AndVarietysuggested that Verhoeven likely chose to tell the story of Benedetta and her lover Bartolomea for its “kink” and that he “would have much interest in Benedetta Carlini’s story if her bedroom exploits were not so controversial.”
Some appreciated the alleged irreverence. TheObservercalledBenedetta"smart smut" and Twitter user@stayawayfr0mherwrote, “The best thing about benedetta, aside from lesbians, is blasphemy.”
“You cannot basically change history. It’s done. People have done that,” the Dutch director, who recentlydenied tricking Sharon Stone into doing nude scenesinBasic Instinct, continued. “You can talk about that was wrong or not but you cannot change history. You cannot change the things that happened — and I based it on the things that happened. So I think the word blasphemy, for me, in this case, is stupid.”
When a French reporter asked about what he believed to be gratuitous nudity featured in the film, Verhoeven defended that, too.
RELATED VIDEO: Jodie Turner-Smith’s Jewelry Stolen from Cannes Hotel: Reports
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Verhoeven toldVarietyearlier this month that he wanted to makeBenedettabecause “it was a story that had to be told.”
“Homosexuality is part of life, so it should be a part of our dramas,” he said. “Why should I ignore that? It’s there. A certain part of the population is bisexual or homosexual or transgender, that’s the reality.”
source: people.com
