Monty Python's classic 1970s comedy, Life of Brian, sparked significant controversy in the U.S. and abroad due to its strong religious themes and its portrayal of a young man named Brian Cohen who shares his birthday with Jesus and is later mistakenly believed to be the Messiah. Despite numerous bans on screening the film in the US, including in the UK, Ireland, Italy, and Norway, some of which remained in place for decades. In 2018, residents of Bochum were granted a special permit to show the film on Good Friday following a petition to the Federal Constitutional Court. However, there have been no further screenings of the film since then.