Magdalena: Released from Shame is the story of Jesus as told by Mary Magdalene. The movie combines new video with scenes from the Jesus film. Internationals from honor/shame cultures may especially be able to relate with its message.

The film moves at a little faster pace than the Jesus film because it focuses on interactions with Jesus with more explanation, instead of only quoting from the book of Luke. When introducing the film, it may be helpful to say that it focuses on certain events and is not intended to be a full documentary on the life of Jesus.

Magdalena: Released from Shame begins with the account of creation, laying a foundation for an understanding of our separation from God through our sin, and His promise of a redeemer to restore the broken relationship. It continues on with the story of Abraham including God's promise about his offspring, Abraham's obedience by starting to offer his son, and God's provision of a substitute sacrifice. This is done very tastefully, with sensitivity in vocabulary and background of history to appeal to internationals, Muslims, and those unfamiliar with the Bible story.

At the conclusion of the film, there is a scene in which some women are gathered with a friend who is asking questions. These are questions many international students would also have. It ends with a type of sinner's prayer that expresses the gospel from an honor/shame perspective.

The movie was released on DVD in 2008. Already, international student groups are successfully using this film during ministry meetings. The link to one of those events is here.

For more info about the DVD, or to purchase a copy, visit this page on the InterVarsity Store.

Running Time: 82 minutes
Audio Languages: English, Spanish, French, Mandarin, Korean, Arabic, Portuguese and Russian
Subtitles: English
Video Format: NTSC only