.- ACTOR Mel Gibson is the person behind a 837 square metre Mission-style Catholic church complex in Malibu, California, that is not affiliated with any diocese.
The star of Braveheart, Lethal Weapon and Mad Max financed the building for about 70 fellow members of the ultraconservative group Holy Family, according to yesterday's The New York Times Magazine. Among other things, Holy Family and other so-called traditionalist congregations conduct Sunday Mass in Latin.

.- ACTOR Mel Gibson received an honorary degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles on Saturday May 10, 2003. Though he came with a prepared speech, he tore it up, a bit that seemed as though it had been rehearsed. During his address, he advised students that, "nobody's perfect." Gibson, a devout Catholic, also told the class of 2003 that fame and fortune are unimportant and that it is spirit that matters most. He also mentioned his own attempts to "fill the void" of spiritual emptiness by learning more about life and reading. Gibson also told the crowd that his life between the ages of 23 and 47 had flown by and finished his speech by snapping his fingers. Gibson's daughter attends the Catholic university although she was reportedly not among the graduating class.

.-SYDNEY--Icon Film Distribution Australia and Icon Entertainment International, the companies operated by Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey, have acquired for the first time the domestic and world distribution rights to an Australian film, "Jindabyne," the new feature from director Ray Lawrence, whose "Lantana" enjoyed significant commercial and critical success around the world. Set up two years ago, Icon's Australian office has been involved in various local films, but only on a domestic basis. Its next Australian releases include the low-budget comedy "Ned" and drama "The Night We Called It a Day." But this deal represents the first time the company has joined forces with Icon's overseas operation to back an Australian feature by taking on world rights, according to the Australian division's CEO, Mark Gooder. (Blake Murdoch)

.-JUNE - A romantic getaway with Mel Gibson or a shopping spree? It was a no-brainer for Mel's wife of 23 years, Robyn -- she took the money and ran to the mall! Mel figured the mother of seven wanted an intimate getaway at the romantic Sheen Falls Lodge in County Kerry, Ireland. But after one night, Robyn craved something more arousing ... a shopping trip to Dublin!

.-HOLLYWOOD (Zap2it.com) - For the first time since he began work on "The Passion," actor/director Mel Gibson is speaking out in defense of the controversial film.
Problems began earlier this month when Gibson's father, Hutton Gibson, who's a traditionalist Catholic opposed to the Vatican, told New York Times Magazine that the Holocaust never took place. "To be certain, neither I nor my film is anti-Semitic," Gibson said in a statement to Variety. "'The Passion' is a movie meant to inspire not offend. My intention in bringing it to the screen is to create a lasting work of art and engender serious thought among audiences of diverse faith backgrounds (or none) who have varying familiarity with this story."
Recently the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops apologized to the director for publicly criticizing the unfinished film and agreed to return all unauthorized copies of the script obtained by its members. "This is a movie about faith, hope, love and forgiveness -- something sorely needed in these turbulent times," Gibson says.

.- SPAIN. CINEMANIA MAGAZINE Nš 99 (DICEMBER 2004)

"The Passion" will be released on 25 February 2004.
The question is: WHERE?.

.-MEL MEGAFANS
VERY IMPORTANT!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
HAVE A NICE TIME!

.- Dec. 21, 2003
"THE PASSION OF CHRIST" AND THE POPE.
According to Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, the ailing pontiff screened The Passion on DVD with his closest friend and secretary, Monsignor Staislaw Dziwisz, in his private residence 10 days ago.
The intermediary then reportedly passed along a five-word review from John Paul to one of the film's producers, Steve McEveety: "It shows how it was," the 83-year-old Pope was quoted as saying. Although brief, the remark lends some heavyweight clout to the film, which chronicles the last 12 hours of Christ's life and the Crucifixion as relayed in the New Testament. The Passion had come under attack as anti-Semitic for allegedly reviving the discredited notion that Jews were responsible for Christ's death. A papal spokesperson not available for comment Friday; other Vatican officials have refused to confirm or deny the Pontiff's assessment.
Officials with the Anti-Defamation League said they would respect the Pope's positive reaction to the movie. "The Pope has a record and history of sensitivity to the Jewish community and has a clear moral voice and understanding when it comes to anti-Semitism," Abraham H. Foxman, U.S. director of the watchdog group, said in a statement issued Thursday. The ADL has protested what it considered negative stereotypes of Jews and "obvious historical mistakes" after reviewing a leaked copy of an early draft of the script and viewing the film in August. Gibson has since made some cuts, and the ADL admits it has not seen the most recent version. "We hope that Mel Gibson has heard our concerns and those of Christian and Jewish scholars and religious leaders, who expressed unease about the earlier version...and its potential to fuel, rationalize and legitimize anti-Semitism," said Foxman.
The actor-director, whose own religious leanings have come under scrutiny, has repeatedly dismissed criticism that the film is intended to be anti-Semitic, saying it was meant "to inspire, not offend." Gibson reportedly spent close to $30 million of his own money making The Passion, which stars Jim Caviezel as Jesus and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene. The film's dialogue is chiefly in Latin and Aramaic with English subtitles. The Gibson-run Icon Productions has been hosting sneak-peek screenings of early versions of the film for various religious leaders and Hollywood players, many of whom have responded positively to the depiction. However last month, the New York Post illegally obtained a bootleg copy of a rough cut of The Passion and screened it for its own roundtable of critics that included a rabbi, a priest, a college professor and one of its columnists, all of whom had mixed feelings on the subject. Federal authorities subsequently launched an investigation into how the tabloid obtained the tape, which the Post eventually returned to the Oscar winner.
No charges have been filed. The Passion of Christ (previously titled The Passion but changed because Miramax already has a film by that name in the works) is being distributed by New Market Films and is scheduled to hit theaters in time for Lent, on February 25.

CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK!

.-Dec. 23, 2003
Canadian distrib Equinoxe picks up 'Passion' rights
TORONTO -- Canadian movie distributor Equinoxe Films on Monday said that it acquired Canadian rights to Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" for an Ash Wednesday debut in tandem with its upcoming U.S. release. Montreal-based Equinoxe snagged Canadian rights in all media to the Icon Prods. film, which depicts the last hours of Jesus Christ's life. Michael Mosca, chief operating officer and senior vp at Equinoxe, said the unspecified arrangement with Icon is more of a traditional rights deal, in which his company will advance the P&A spend for the Canadian release. Mosca and Equinoxe vp distribution Yves Dion screened "The Passion of the Christ" in London and came away impressed. "The film is a powerful film," Mosca said. "It's an excellent film. Mel Gibson did an excellent job directing." (Etan Vlessing).

.- Dec. 26, 2003
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Americans are still wild about Aussie Mel Gibson, voting him as their favorite movie star.
The annual Harris Poll, which took place in November, surveys a nationwide cross-section of adults about their favorite film actors. Gibson, 47, rose from his No. 2 position in 2002 to the top spot this year, displacing Tom Hanks, who fell to fourth place.
The "Mad Max" star also held that position in 1996.