Coca-Cola is threatening legal action to stop an Italian film showing Jesus Christ drinking from a can of Coke.

The film Seven Kilometres from Jerusalem, directed by Claudio Malaponti and due out in Italian cinemas on Good Friday, imagines a Christ who lives and preaches in the Middle East in the 21st century.

Coca-Cola Italia has complained that the use of its brand image was unauthorised and unacceptable and likely to give Coca-Cola a negative image.

The storyline revolves around Alessandro Forte, an Italian advertising executive played by Luca Ward, who travels to Jerusalem to escape a mid-life crisis.

He encounters Jesus, played by Alessandro Etrusco, in the desert near Emmaus and offers him a lift in his Jeep. As Jesus gets in, the executive reminds him to fasten his seat belt and hands him a can of Coca-Cola, which the thirsty Jesus drinks with enjoyment. “My God — what a testimonial!” the excited executive exclaims.

In its letter, Coca-Cola Italia demanded that the offending scene be cut. Mr Malaponti said that this would mean completely reediting the film in three days.

He told The Times that the film had been well-received at the Vatican. He said that the Pope sent a message saying that he hoped that it would “increase love for Jesus and awareness of the richness of his message”. He said: “The Pope did not object to the Coca-Cola scene. It is a coherent part of a film in which Jesus is portrayed as the greatest communicator of all time. This is a profoundly religious film.”

A spokeswoman for Coca-Cola Italia said the company had objected to the scene, first verbally and then in writing, “because we are not interested in this kind of product placement”.

Mr Malaponti said that the film was a contemporary retelling of the Gospel story of the Road to Emmaus, in which the risen Jesus meets two disciples who at first fail to recognise him. He added that his Christ was a universal figure who would appeal not only to Christians but also to Muslims and even Buddhists.

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