Banned British film to be released after 23 years

London, April 1 (IANS) A film banned in Britain for being blasphemous will be released in its original, uncut form after 23 years.

The 1989 movie "Visions of Ecstasy" was considered so shocking that the government fought a successful battle at the European Court of Human Rights to uphold the ban, the Telegraph reported.

The movie is about St. Teresa of Avila, a 16th century Spanish nun and mystic who had visions of Christ, which lasted almost uninterrupted for two years.

The 18-minute film is an interpretation of these visions and includes sexual scenes involving St. Teresa and another woman, who represents her psyche.

The scenes are interlaced with shots of the nun lying on Christ, who is still nailed to the cross, and caressing him.

The film was inspired by a statue by 17th century sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini titled St. Teresa in Ecstasy, which is located in Rome.

But the film will now be released after the British Board of Film Classification overturned its original decision.

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