The mystery behind the filming of the controversial US film Innocence Of Muslims grew deeper today with the release of a joint statement by the actors involved, in which they insist that they did not know what the film was about when they were making it. A casting call notice posted on Craigslist refers to it it by the title Desert Warrior and describes it simply as a historical drama, making no mention of Mohammed. One of the actors claimed in an interview with Gawker that lines including Mohammed's name were dubbed over afterwards, a claim supported by the fact that much of the film is very badly synced. Meanwhile, the Associated Press have tracked down a man living in California whom they believe may be the film's psuedonymous producer, Sam Bacile.
Often when rumours of an anti-religious film inspire protests, it turns out there's nothing behind them. In 2007, there was an outcry in the British Bangladeshi community about the film Brick Lane after false stories about a scene in which a cockroach was said to drop from a woman's hair into food. But in the case of Innocence Of Muslims, there is no doubt that the film is real and was intended to insult. It ridicules Mohammed and his followers at every opportunity, accusing them of wanton violence, rape and child abuse as well as things that hint at the insecurities of the filmmakers, such as being pushed around by women. Along the way, it also misrepresents Jews and even Ancient Egyptian Aten-worshippers. It is atrociously badly made even by internet-age B-movie standards, but some of its stylistic motifs - the use of CGI desert backdrops, the random appearance of a donkey, the painted-on flames near the end - will be familiar to viewers of the low-budget DVDs circulated among right wing US Christian groups. Pastor Terry Jones' involvement has been confirmed but it is not known who the film's other backers might be, with rumours and counter-rumours further inflaming the situation and potentially placing members of a variety of religious groups in danger.
Following ongoing protests in Libya and Egypt, Google have now restricted access to the film on YouTube in those countries. Further protests have erupted in Yemen. US officials believe, however, that the death of US ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other embassy staff in Benghazi may have been caused by a militant group taking advantage of the chaos and not itself inspired by anger about the film.
Meanwhile, in the US, Harvey Weinstein has boosted his personal security after receiving an increasing number of threats in relation to his new film The Master, which recently premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Though unconfirmed, the threats and "strange phone calls" are believed to come from Scientologists who view the film as a thinly disguised attack on their religion. Weinstein has denied any connection, as has the film's award-winning star, Philip Seymour Hoffman.
