Monty Python's Life of Brian is to be screened in Glasgow for the first time - overturning a 30-year ban on showing the controversial satire in the city.

Monty Python's Life of Brian is to be screened in Glasgow for the first time - overturning a 30-year ban on showing the controversial satire in the city.

Members of the cast and crew are to be invited to attend a special screening at the Glasgow Film Theatre.

When Life of Brian was released 30 years ago it was described as a motion picture destined to offend nearly two-thirds of the civilised world and severely annoy the other third.

In 1980, Glasgow councillors agreed and refused to allow it the 15 certificate agreed by the British Board of Film Censors.

Instead they insisted it could only be shown as an X-rated adult movie, resulting in it never being screened in the city.

The licensing committee has now overturned that decision following a request by GFT, which wants to mark the 30th anniversary of the film's release.

Life of Brian, which was written by and starred the Monty Python team, is an irreverent satire of biblical films and religious intolerance.

It focuses on Brian, played by Graham Chapman, who is born in the same era and location as Jesus Christ and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah.

Allison Gardner, head of cinemas at GFT, wrote to councillors asking them to allow the movie to be screened.

Her letter said: "In the three decades since the film was first shown, Life of Brian has been universally acknowledged as a true British classic.

"It is frequently voted one of the funniest films ever made and has earned widespread respect as an example of the beloved Monty Python comedy team at the peak of their creative powers.

"The film has been widely available to the general public on video and DVD and has been screened on terrestrial television.

"None of these events has caused widespread offence or in any way destroyed the sanctity of the church or undermined its place in our wider society.

"I believe the film is seen as an affectionate and inspired depiction of the life of Jesus from a perspective that is humorous rather than intentionally blasphemous.

"Given the passage of time and the status of the film, I wonder if you might consider it being an appropriate moment to consider this request to overturn the ban on screening the film in Glasgow cinemas."

Councillors overwhelmingly agreed to the GFT request, and Willie O'Rourke, vice convener of the licensing and regulatory committee, said: "This is the first application we have received to show Monty Python's Life of Brian since the first request back in 1980.

"Life of Brian has been broadcast on television over the years and is now widely available on DVD.

The world, and people's attitudes, have moved on in the last 30 years, so I believe the committee made the right decision."

Seonaid Frame, GFT press officer, said all the cast and crew of Life of Brian would be invited to a special screening of the film in September.

She added: "The exact date of the screening will depend on our guests.

It will be a gala event but a very small number of tickets will be set aside for guests and the rest will be available to the public.

"We have 394 seats in GFT and it will be a sell-out, and if there is a lot of demand we would be open to bringing it back."