Sodom and Begorrah

From the collection of

Launched in 2000, Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive spans from 1897 to the present day and currently contains an ever-expanding catalogue of 13,000 items. It comprises material from a variety of depositors including feature films, sport, documentaries, animation, amateur footage, light entertainment, and a significant proportion of broadcast material from the UTV Archive.

Sodom and Begorrah

Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive
Holywood
1967-01-01
Sound
13m

Amusing fantasy of the adventures of a priest who finds his new parish in the grip of the most blatant depravity

Follow the trials of a priest shocked by the depravity of his new parish. How will he resist temptation in a town where sex, sin and violence are the order of the day? Who will offer spiritual comfort in his hour of need, and who will triumph in this epic battle for the souls of Ballybegorrah? To find out watch this hilarious story set in a country which exists only in the minds of those who have never been to Ireland.

This brilliant example of the playful insights of Archie Reid, Rex Thompson and Rowel Friers invites us to laugh at ourselves. Reid was a History teacher and prolific film maker. You can find more of his gems on the Britain on Film map ranging from the delightfully absurd to intimate rural portraits. Friers who appears here as angel, priest and devil was a political cartoonist, performer and painter. He strove to reflect political absurdities of Northern Ireland with impartiality, saying ‘I have no side in all of this. I just make fun of all the madness.' A graduate of the Belfast College of Art he contributed to the arts throughout his life as President of both the RUA and Ulster Association of Drama Festivals.

Amateur Auteurs

Ever dreamed of shooting your own movie? These pre-digital cine-enthusiasts did - with all the passion and devotion of the true auteur.

These low- (or no-) budget creations reach beyond simple point-and-shoot, back-garden efforts towards something more ambitious and skilful, revealing their authors' passion for film and their often astonishing ingenuity with limited resources. No desktop editing software or digital special effects for these amateur auteurs. The films include fiction and documentary, competition prizewinners and private labours of love. They may be the work of cine-clubbers or individual enthusiasts. But they all show a devotion to filmmaking that far transcends hobbyism. So look out for the delightful handmade intertitles, table-top special effects and library soundtracks which decorate many of the quirky stories, ultra-local documentaries and painstakingly composed home movies featured here.