Source: USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2003-08-12-gibson-film_x.htm
On August 12, 2003 USA Today reported that "devout Catholic Mel Gibson's movie-in-the-making on the final hours of Jesus' life won't be on screens until February, but an early version has ignited claims it incites anti-Semitism... A Jewish human rights organization in Los Angeles already has received dozens of hate calls and letters based on news reports on the film, the Simon Wiesenthal Center told Reuters news service Tuesday... 'Mel abhors anti-Semitism. In no way does his Catholic faith endorse hatred or bigotry or anti-Semitism or blame the Jews for the death of Christ,' says Paul Lauer, spokesman for Gibson's Icon Productions... Gibson has been planning to create interfaith programming to go with the film."