The Catholic Church has condemned an erotic movie scene in a new Italian film, calling it "vulgar and destructive".The scene from the film, Quiet Chaos, showing renowned Italian actor Nanni Moretti and actress Isabella Ferrari having sex was released in Italy this week.
The scene has also been released on the popular video website YouTube provoking further concern that it will corrupt young people.
The film scene was singled out by a bishop from the Italian Conference of Bishops (CEI) who is responsible for youth policy.
Nicolo Anselmi, in charge of the CEI's youth, wrote his complaints in a letter ahead of the World Youth Day to be held in the Australian city of Sydney in July.
He said that the movie scene cheapened the beauty of physical sexuality and Moretti and Ferrari should set a better example to young people.
"From such a courageous, talented and idealistic director like Moretti, with such a delicate and sensitive face like Ferrari, I would have expected a more romantic, tender, or a loving moment open to life, to a child perhaps, " said Anselmi, in the letter, according to media reports.
"It is true that the scene must be looked at in the context of the film, but both actors make love while standing, dressed, without looking at each others' faces."
"I confess that even I was astonished and disturbed."
Moretti, an acclaimed actor and director, refuted the church's criticism of the film.
"The letter written by the priest speaks for itself. I do not think the priest is a movie expert, and from what he said, I do not think he saw the film.
"There is a committee of experts who decided that the scene is not vulgar, and have decided not to restrict the film.
"To prevent controversy, even we decided to put our own restriction on the film to 12 year-olds unless they are accompanied by an adult. I realise that it didn't work out."
Anselmi also criticised the amount of air time dedicated to the erotic scene by the Italian TV news bulletin TG1 and only "a few seconds to the Kenyan civil war".
TG1 responded in the Italian press saying that none of the leaked scenes was transmitted on television.
Anselmi invited actors to be "conscientious objectors" and to refuse to "record erotic,vulgar and destructive scenes".
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