Award-winning documentary to be released in Mayo Movie World

A HIGHLY acclaimed documentary is coming to a Mayo cinema later this month.

The film, Pray For Our Sinners, is in cinemas from Friday, April 21, and it will screen at Mayo Movie World, Castlebar.

Mayo native Enda O'Dowd, an Irish Times journalist, was editor on the film and it is directed and produced by Sinéad O’Shea.

Pray For Our Sinners documents Sinéad O'Shea's return to her hometown, Navan, in search of those who fought against the Catholic Church which until recently exerted almost complete control over the country. There she discovers the ways in which townspeople found a way to resist.

It is only through old friendships and neighbourly connections that we hear previously untold testimonies from mother and baby homes, and stories from within school classrooms about corporal punishment.

By taking such a personal approach, Sinéad has crafted a fresh account of how Catholicism wielded such power in Ireland since it gained independence.

These astonishing yet uplifting stories use rare first hand testimonies to describe the horrors of mother and baby homes, the prevalence of violence against children and the co-dependent relationship between the Church, State and its people.

Through the voices of its gently heroic characters, the film depicts a fragile society full of fear, quiet dissent and love.

Speaking on the upcoming release, O’Shea commented: “I am very proud to be sharing these stories of resilience and resistance. I hope they provide insights into Irish life and draw attention to the continuing issues caused by the relationship between Church and State here."

The film received its world premiere last year at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and went on to win several awards on its run across the US, including the Best Documentary awards at the Hamptons International Film Festival and Chicago International Film Festival. The film is supported by Screen Ireland.