FIRST OFF . . .

Italian Catholics are protesting plans to screen Martin Scorsese’s controversial “The Last Temptation of Christ” at the Venice Film Festival next month. The film’s inclusion at the Venice festival was announced in Rome on Friday by festival director Guglielmo Biraghi, and on Saturday leadership of Italy’s dominant Christian Democratic party were calling on festival organizers to remove the film from the program. And Italy’s National Entertainment Board said in a statement on Saturday that it was stunned by the choice. So far, the festival board is refusing to withdraw the film, which is scheduled to screen Sept. 7.