About the Jesus Family Tomb Movie: Making the Film

The Lost Tomb of Jesus

Breathtaking recreations. Exclusive interviews. The first images captured on film of an unexcavated first-century Jerusalem tomb. The Jesus Family Tomb is a riveting archaeological adventure, a real-life detective story, co-produced by filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici and Titanic director James Cameron.

In 1980, in East Talpiot, Jerusalem, a bulldozer accidentally uncovered what may be the most explosive archaeological discovery of all time.

Of the ten ossuaries, or stone coffins, found inside the first-century tomb, six bore inscriptions: Jesus, son of Joseph; Maria; Mariamene (the name by which Mary Magdalene was known), Joseph, Matthew, and Judah, son of Jesus. At first dismissed by archaeologists as coincidence, the ossuaries were deposited in the endless warehouses of the Israel Antiquities Association and forgotten.

Twenty-five years later, Emmy-winning journalist Simcha Jacobovici and his team, Felix Golubev, journalist and producer; Hollywood kingpin James Cameron; Paleo-biologist and best-selling author Charles Pellegrino; and renowned Biblical scholar James Tabor, took a fresh look at this astounding cluster of New Testament names.

Granted unparalleled access, but battling a host of problems, the team goes in search of the ossuaries…and the lost tomb…

Adversaries

Their adversaries range from the Israel Antiquities Authority to hard-to-read municipal maps to condo association regulations, the Jerusalem plumber shortage, depleted DNA samples, nosy neighbours, wrong information, and a whole lot of preconceived notions.

But one by one, the Tomb team defeats, pays off, or wins over each opponent. Finally, they arrive at the door to the tomb that once held what may be the remains of history’s most famous person.

What they find is the discovery of a lifetime, and raises questions about the historical Jesus. Is the Mariamne Mary Magdalene? Is the child’s ossuary, Judah, son of Jesus, offspring of the Christian Savior?

Assembling a remarkable team of experts, including scientists, archaeologists, historians, filmmakers, and epigraphers, the filmmakers unite the dust of history with cutting edge science to shed light on one of the world’s most powerfully guarded secrets.

Through paleo-DNA tests, high-tech robo-cams, crime lab analyses, linguistics, and theological study, the Tomb team arrived at a shocking conclusion….