 The film was rejected for a UK certificate by the BBFC on the  grounds of possible blasphemous libel. After an appeal failed the  distributor took the case to the European Court of Human Rights in  1996 to consider whether the existence of a law of blasphemy was  consistent with Freedom of Expression rights. The original BBFC  decision was upheld and, to date, this remains the only film banned  in the UK on the grounds of blasphemy.