A Washington man watches a protest screening of the film A Fire in My Belly. An Ottawa gallery will become the first Canadian venue to show the film Saturday. (Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press)

An Ottawa art gallery is set to screen a film deemed too offensive to stay in the Smithsonian Museum Saturday, joining an international protest against the film's censorship.

The film, A Fire in My Belly, was pulled from an exhibit at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington after a Catholic organization and several politicians complained it offended Christians.

Gallery 101, on Bank and MacLaren Streets, will become the first Canadian venue to show the film made by gay activist David Wojnarowicz who died of AIDS in 1992.

Leanne L'Hirondelle, the gallery's director, said the point of contention — an image included in the film that shows ants crawling over a crucifix — was misunderstood.

"He seemed to be addressing his own illness, the illness of people he knew and loved, his upbringing because he was raised Catholic," L'Hirondelle said.

"So he was dealing with death, mortality."

The 1987 silent film mixes scenes from Mexico — news headlines about so-called sexual maniacs, skulls from Day of the Dead ceremonies, cockfights and the crucifix image.

The film had been included in the Smithsonian's Hide/Seek: Difference and Desire in American Portraiture exhibit, which was described as examining artists' changing representations of sexuality.

Since the film was pulled last November, galleries around the world have held protest screenings, including the Tate Modern in London, the New Museum in New York City, and many small U.S. galleries.

L'Hirondelle said she hopes more Canadian galleries will show the film.