It’s only taken 22 years, but Nigel Wingrove’s Visions of Ecstasy has finally been passed by the British censors.

Made in 1989, the film was Wingrove’s follow-up to his arty, fetishy short Axel and told the story of St Terera of Avila, who fantasises about a sexual encounter with the crucified Christ. As a 17 minute art film, it was hardly going to have mainstream crossover.

Nevertheless, the BBFC banned the film on the grounds of blasphemy. The fact that the much higher-profile – and unbannable – Last Temptation of Christ had recently caused outrage amongst the more blockheaded members of society by being passed uncut obviously played no part in this decision, which conveniently enabled the censors to show that yes, they were tough on blasphemy after all. And of course, they could point out that the common law of blasphemous libel was still in force – if unlikely to ever be successfully used any more. Showing Christ responding to sexual advances apparently fell under this law (unless directed by Scorsese).

Wingrove didn’t take the ban lying down, and so began a long process of appeals that cost more than the film would ever make back and gave it a much higher profile than an obscure short film could ever hope for. Both the Video Appeals Committee and the European Court would eventually back the BBFC, the latter in another dubious decision. Meanwhile, Wingrove had launched Redemption Films, and would release a series of censor-baiting films over the ensuing years. In 2000, he made nunsploitation epic Sacred Flesh, which was released uncut.

In 2008, the blasphemy laws were finally repealed - don’t celebrate too much – current laws on religious hatred are far more oppressive and have seen many more arrests for the mere act of causing offence. But the BBFC have taken the more sensible view that offence alone – even religious offence – is no reason for the film to remain banned; after all, there is no evidence that the film is deliberately offending Christians.

And so Visions of Ecstasy can finally be seen. A March release – packaged with Axel and Sacred Flesh, alongside a book covering the whole sordid story – is now planned.