Podcast: Interview with Sinéad O’Shea, Director of ‘Pray for Our Sinners’

Pray for Our Sinners documents Sinéad’s return to her hometown in Navan in search of those who fought against the Catholic Church and discovers the ways in which local people found a way to resist. It is a film of unexpected twists as it chooses to shine a light on those who attempted to stand up to the church in a quiet but deeply moving resistance. 

Pray for Our Sinners is not a straightforward narrative of sinners and victims. The story which emerges is a nuanced account of Catholicism and its role in Irish life. It focuses on the tradition of silence in Ireland and how difficult it has been for the people from Sinéad’s hometown to articulate the suffering they endured. 

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. 

Through the voices of its gently heroic characters, Pray for Our Sinners depicts a society full of love, hope and understanding.  

As the film says, “There is always a way to resist.” 

Pray for Our Sinners is in cinemas from 21st April 2023.

Link to buy Q&A tickets at  https://linktr.ee/breakoutpictures

Pray for Our Sinners is screening throughout Ireland:  https://www.breakoutpictures.com/movie/pray-for-our-sinners/i