Universal Church of the Kingdom of God

===UCKG and film promotion===
''[[The Ten Commandments: The Movie|The Ten Commandments]]'' is a film released in 2016 by UCKG-controlled Rede Record in association with Paris Filmes. It is an adaptation of the eponymous television series presented by Rede Record in 2015.<ref name="odia">{{cite web |url=http://odia.ig.com.br/diversao/televisao/2015-11-24/apos-sucesso-de-audiencia-dez-mandamentos-vai-virar-filme.html |title=Após sucesso de audiência, 'Os Dez Mandamentos' vai virar filme |language=pt|trans-title=After audience success, "The Ten Commandments" is to be filmes|website= Televisão - O Dia |date=24 November 2015  |access-date= 17 May 2016}}</ref> The adaptation was written by Vivian de Oliveira and directed by Alexandre Avancini, with the same cast as the soap opera.<ref name="tribuna">{{cite web |url=http://www.atribuna.com.br/noticias/noticias-detalhe/cinema/cinemark-abre-pre-venda-de-ingressos-para-os-dez-mandamentos/?cHash=e0e7e0e03564234ef2c775ee03688285 |title=Cinemark abre pré-venda de ingressos para "Os Dez Mandamentos"|language=pt|trans-title=Cinemark opens pre-sale of tickets for "The Ten Commandments"|website= A Tribuna |date= 1 January 2016 |access-date= 17 May 2016}}</ref>

During pre-order the film broke several records. In two weeks, more than 2 million tickets were sold, and it was also shown at more screens in Brazil, over 1,000, than any previous film.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://veja.abril.com.br/noticia/entretenimento/filme-os-dez-mandamentos-supera-2-milhoes-de-ingressos-na-pre-venda |title=Filme 'Os Dez Mandamentos' supera 2 milhões de ingressos na pré-venda|language=pt|trans-title=Film "The Ten Commandments" sells over 2 million tickets in pre-sales|newspaper=Veja.abril.com |date=20 January 2016  |access-date= 17 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://veja.abril.com.br/noticia/entretenimento/os-dez-mandamentos-vai-estrear-em-numero-recorde-de-salas |title='Os Dez Mandamentos' vai estrear em número recorde de salas |language=pt|trans-title="The Ten Commandments to have first showing in record number of cinemas|website=Veja.abril.com |date= 12 January 2016 |access-date= 17 May 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://brasil.elpais.com/brasil/2016/01/28/cultura/1453938129_062179.html |title='Os Dez Mandamentos - O Filme', o milagre da multiplicação dos ingressos |language=pt|trans-title="The Ten Commandments - the Film", the miracle of multiplying income|website=El Pais, Brazil |date= 29 January 2016 |access-date= 17 May 2016}}</ref> However, it was poorly received by critics.

The UCKG was criticised for heavily promoting the film at their services, and asking those attending for money to buy tickets for those who could not afford them; pastors at church services distributed envelopes with the Ten Commandments logo, and asked for them to be filled with money and returned to help the "cause", interspersed with stressing the importance of tithing 10% of salary, plus extra donations, every month.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://noticiasdatv.uol.com.br/noticia/televisao/universal-pede-dinheiro-a-fieis-para-lotar-cinemas-de-os-dez-mandamentos-10206 |title=Universal pede dinheiro a fiéis para lotar cinemas de Os Dez Mandamentos |language=pt|trans-title=Universal asks faithful for money to fill theaters showing The Ten Commandments|website=Notícias da TV |date=18 January 2016 |author=<!--editorial--> |access-date= 16 May 2016}}</ref>

The film was widely released, but a news report in [[São Paulo (city)|São Paulo]] showed empty screening rooms at the premiere of the film, despite the tickets sold at the box office.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=http://cinema.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2016/01/28/os-dez-mandamentos-estreia-com-lugares-vagos-em-sessoes-esgotadas.htm |title="Os Dez Mandamentos" estreia com lugares vagos em sessões esgotadas |language=pt|trans-title="The Ten Commandments" shows to vacant seats in sold-out sessions|website=Notícias - UOL Cinema |date=28 January 2016 |author=Felipe Branco Cruz and Renata Nogueira |access-date= 17 May 2016}}</ref> It was reported that in [[Recife]] a single  buyer associated with the UCKG bought all the tickets for all showings of the film in its first two weeks, more than 20,700 tickets.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |url=http://cinema.uol.com.br/noticias/redacao/2016/01/19/no-recife-unico-comprador-adquire-22-mil-ingressos-de-os-dez-mandamentos.htm |title=No Recife, único comprador adquire 22 mil ingressos de "Os Dez Mandamentos" |language=pt|trans-title=In Recife a single purchasrer buys 22,000 tickets for "The Ten Commandments"|website= Notícias - UOL Cinema|date=19 January 2016  |author=Felipe Branco Cruz |access-date= 17 May 2016}}</ref> The UCKG officially denied the negative reports about the film.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |url=http://www.universal.org/noticia/2016/01/26/os-dez-mandamentos---o-filme-universal-desmente-acusacoes-da-imprensa-35506.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322211804/https://www.universal.org/noticias/os-dez-mandamentos---o-filme-universal-desmente-acusacoes-da-imprensa-35506|archive-date=22 March 2018 |title="Os Dez Mandamentos - O filme": Universal desmente acusações da Imprensa|language=pt|trans-title="The Ten Commandments - the Film": Universal [Church] denies Press accusations|website=Universal.org|date= 26 January 2016 |author=UCKG Social Communications Department |access-date= 17 May 2016}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{cite web |url=http://www.universal.org/noticia/2016/01/28/record-e-paris-filmes-divulgam-nota-sobre-a-lotauao-dos-cinemas-na-estreia-de-os-dez-mandamentos-o-filme-35527.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323160148/https://www.universal.org/noticias/record-e-paris-filmes-divulgam-nota-sobre-a-lotauao-dos-cinemas-na-estreia-de-os-dez-mandamentos-o-filme-35527|archive-date=23 March 2018|title=Record e Paris Filmes divulgam nota sobre a lotação dos cinemas na estreia de "Os Dez Mandamentos – O filme"|language=pt|trans-title=Rede Record and Paris Filmes publish note on attendance at cinemas showing "The Ten Commandments - the Film"|website=Universal.org (UCKG) |date= 28 January 2016 |access-date= 17 May 2016}}</ref>

In 2018, the film ''Nada a Perder'' (''Nothing to Lose''), which depicts the story of Edir Macedo, part-funded and promoted by Macedo's ''Record'' channel, was similarly reported to be the biggest-selling Brazilian film, but to be playing to rows of empty seats night after night; in one case two sold-out performances played to a totally empty cinema, and to a woman and her two children. A UCKG spokesman said that it was a lie and fake news propagated by media with "a long history of attacks against Universal and the Christian faith" that the film was showing to empty cinemas. He said that the church had "never" bought tickets for the film, but there had been "an initiative so that the biggest number of people possible could see the film—taking needy populations and residents of poor neighbourhoods, the excluded and those who never had access to a cinema where they live".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/15/nothing-to-lose-nada-a-perder-brazil-sold-out-empty-cinemas-universal-church |title='It is strange': Brazilian church blockbuster plays to empty cinemas |newspaper=The Guardian |date=17 May 2018  |author=Dom Phillips|access-date= 17 May 2018}}</ref>