Movies
'Little Fish'
Leaders at the Italian Bishops Conference in Rome described the film as "divisive, distorted and an attack on Catholicism".
Vatican-backed historian Professor Franco Cardini called it an "anti-papal travesty", adding that its misrepresentation of the church was "continuous and very dire".
He wrote in a report on the conference: "A film which so profoundly and perversely falsifies history cannot be judged as a good film."
Blanchett reprises her role as Queen Elizabeth I in the production, director Shekhar Kapur's sequel to his 1998 movie Elizabeth.
Cardini condemned Kapur for inaccuracies in the plot and location, as well as "demonising" the church by portraying the Catholic King of Spain, Philip II, as a "ferocious, fanatical Catholic swinging his rosary like a weapon".
The National Catholic Register also blasted the movie, insisting it is more damaging to the Church than controversial book The Da Vinci Code.
But Kapur dismissed the accusations, saying: "It's actually very, very deeply not anti-Catholic. It is anti extreme forms of religion. It's anti an interpretation of the word of God, which can be singular."
More: Movies
Movie Reviews
'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' reviewTom Hanks features in a long and winding journey through New York after 9/11
At the Movies
David Lynch: 10 reasons to worship himIt's time to celebrate director David Lynch as the BFI screens a season of his films.
Movies Interviews
Max von Sydow 'Extremely Loud' interviewActing legend Max von Sydow on Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, The Exorcist and Flash Gordon.
Box Office Charts
'The Woman in Black' wins UK box officeThe Woman in Black beats The Muppets and Star Wars at the the UK box office.
