Inspired by the novel of the Nobel Prize winner in Literature Pair Lagerkvist, the two-episode miniseries recounts the life of the biblical character after his salvation that led Christ to the crucifixion.
Barabbas, quoted in the New Testament in the episode The Trial of Jesus by Pontius Pilate, is the key and nefarious character of the Bible remembered as the great sinner, whose life and freedom were given at the expense of the salvation of Jesus Christ, condemned to die crucified. What happened to the emblematic bandit after this dramatic episode in which the people chose to absolve him is the theme of the unprecedented miniseries Barabbas, that the History displays in two parts: Sunday, 4/13 and Monday 14/4, always at 22h.
Based on the novel by Swede Pär Lagerkvist (winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1951), the miniseries tells the story of the redemption of Barabbas, which begins when Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea, in a symbolic gesture, washes his hands to demonstrate that he does not would interfere with the popular decision to condemn Jesus to crucifixion.
With the verdict, the bandit is forced to reflect on the meaning of redemption for the rest of his life. His spiritual struggle continues, when his wife Esther is brutally murdered for being a follower of Jesus, at a time when the Roman Empire was a power and Christianity was beginning to develop. Among other trials, Barrabás still has to defend his life in the gladiatorial arena, where he once again gains his freedom and faces his internal demons. It is then that he converts to Christianity and becomes a follower of the crucified man instead. Undoubtedly, if there is any historical character capable of incarnating the struggle between good and evil inseparable from human nature - the central theme of Lagerkvist's work - this character is Barabbas.
Actor Billy Zane, in the title role of the production, says he was concerned with giving authenticity to his performance. “Barrabás' truth has changed over time, as it happens to all of us. It is the journey of an atheist to become a man of faith, the journey of a man without love who becomes someone with compassion in the service of God, ”explains Zane. "The character had to be accessible and timeless and even modern to break the austerity of the sacred and the rigid treatment that is given to him", he adds.
Filmed in Tunisia, this television epic presents an action-packed account and gently touches the incredible story of how Christianity gained strength until it became the religion of millions of people. Pär Lagerkvist's novel has already been translated into more than 30 languages.
Character / Cast:
Barabbas - Billy Zane (Titanic- 1997)
Esther - Cristiana Capotondi (The Return of Merlin -2000)
Pontius Pilates - Filippo Nigro (An Almost Perfect Love – 2003)
Kedar - Hristo Shopov (The passion of christ – 2004)
Valerio Flacco - Paolo Seganti (Prohibited city – 1997)
Claudia - Anna Valle (Callas and Onassis - 2005)
Jesus Christ - Marco Foschi
Producer
Federico Scardamaglia
Director
Roger Young
EN 
PT_BR 
