The Crime Of Padre Amaro -2002- !!install!! Jun 2026

However, for many believers, the distinction was meaningless. To portray a priest as a sexual predator, a liar, and a cause of death—even if fictional—was seen as an unforgivable slander against all priests. The fact that the film was based on a 19th-century novel written by an anti-clerical socialist only fueled the anger. In the end, the film’s power lies in its ambiguity: it does not preach atheism, but it shows, with devastating realism, how easily the vessels of faith can be poisoned by human weakness.

“A cold, courageous masterpiece. Carrera doesn't just question the Church—he shows how faith, twisted by power, becomes a weapon.” — San Francisco Chronicle the crime of padre amaro -2002-

He uses his influence to have a local journalist, Ruben (Amelia's former suitor), discredited and excommunicated for investigating church corruption. However, for many believers, the distinction was meaningless

One of the most compelling aspects of The Crime of Father Amaro is that it refuses to paint its characters in black and white. While Amaro is the protagonist, he is hardly a hero. Conversely, Father Benito, the seemingly corrupt older priest who consorts In the end, the film’s power lies in

The Catholic Church in Mexico, which still wields immense cultural and political influence, launched an all-out war against the film. Cardinal Norberto Rivera, then the Archbishop of Mexico City, called the film an "offensive, false, and slanderous" attack on the priesthood. He urged the faithful to boycott it, stating that it was an “insult to the feelings of Catholics.” Lay Catholic organizations staged protests outside cinemas, demanding the government ban the film.