The film programme of the 2023 Salzburg Festival revolves around the questions of humanity, tolerance and religious freedom posed in Lessing’s Nathan der Weise. The thematic thrust is provided by Manfred Noa’s 1922 film of the same title, a brilliant adaptation of Lessing’s drama of ideas that was severely censored at the time of its release and also subject to public scorn. Variations on this theme can be seen in features by the Egyptian master Youssef Chahine (Al Nasser Salah Ad-Din, 1963) and the legendary British director Ridley Scott (Kingdom of Heaven — Director’s Cut, 2005), which are also set during the Crusades and deal with intolerance at different points in history.