The Nativity Story

The scene is set in ancient Nazareth, where the people live in poverty, oppressed by the heavy taxes and iron hand of King Herod. Herod himself lives in fear of a prophecy that foretells the coming of a great king, and is constantly tightening his grip on an already terrorized land. Mary is a young, virtuous, fun-loving girl, whose family arranges her marriage to Joseph, a man who she hardly knows but who promises to provide for her. Mary is unwilling, but her rebellion is soon eclipsed by a greater fear when the angel Gabrial appears to her and informs her of her destiny as the mother of Jesus. Having taken a vow to remain pure for a year, Mary is afraid of what the townspeople will do when they hear of her pregnancy. She goes to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who also carries a child given to her by God and who offers support and comfort. When Mary returns to Nazareth heavily pregnant, Joseph is consumed with jealousy and anger, and only when he receives word from God in a dream does he agree to claim the child for his own. Eventually, Herod decides to take a census in order to find the Messiah foretold in the prophecy and Joseph and Mary set off on a difficult journey to Bethlehem. Director Catherine Hardwicke Star Shohreh Aghdashloo, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Eriq Ebouaney Special Features: Full Frame and Widescreen format.