You react strongly, Bob, to the film, as do I. Interesting that God timed the crucifixion for an age when photography did not yet exist.
He is completely capable of generating saving faith without it, so He did not need to wait for photography’s invention nor to hasten its development.
Nor, as you noted, does faith depend on the Shroud.
“Interesting that God timed the crucifixion for an age when photography did not yet exist”
And during the time when Roman Roads were built which helped to facilitate communication of the word.