Filling one of the coveted slots at 2015’s Sundance Film Festival will be Rodrigo Garcia’s (Albert Nobbs) Last Days in the Desert, with Ewan McGregor playing the dual roles of Jesus Christ (Yeshua) and the Devil, or as McGregor speculates “another side of Yeshua perhaps, an embodiment of his doubt.”
This small indie will visualize the fictional story created by Garcia, imagining a portion of the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert, when he was tempted by Satan. According to McGregor, the film has the potential to please both the devout and the non-religious. Aside from the fact that the events from Garcia’s script won’t be found directly in Scripture, the film will be true to the themes and characters played out between the Father, the Son, and tempter, whether they be figurative or corporeal. It will explore Jesus’s humanity and the universal struggle between fathers and sons.
Although the undertaking of two classic literary and real-life characters at first intimidated McGregor, the sincere and focused vision of Garcia reassured the actor. If the film can satisfyingly pull off the famous Temptation of Christ, the risk will undoubtedly be worthwhile for McGregor.
Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity) also helped bring this story to life, promising an exciting experience for moviegoers, as well as a potentially positive opening at Sundance.
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