Priest

Region B

Priest (Blu-ray)
Director: Antonia Bird

First time on Blu-ray for this award-winning British 1990’s drama, directed by Antonia Bird and written by Jimmy McGovern.

At his new parish in inner-city Liverpool, eager young priest Father Greg (Linus Roache) clashes with his colleague Father Matthew (Tom Wilkinson) over his progressive politics and disregard for his vow of celibacy. But soon, Father Greg’s harsh judgement is directed inwards as he grapples with his attraction to a man, and his faith is tested when he learns of a young girl’s abuse in the confessional.

On its release, the film was widely condemned by the Church for its depiction of Catholicism, with calls to ban its theatrical release and boycotts of theatres screening the film. While some saw it as blasphemous, others praised it for its bold and confronting lens on the scandals and contradictions within the Catholic institution.

Extras

• I Miss Those Days (2025): a newly recorded interview with actor Linus Roache
• The BAFTA & BFI Screenwriters’ Lecture Series: Jimmy McGovern (2016, 27 mins): the award-winning writer in conversation with journalist Miranda Sawyer
• The Guardian Interview: Antonia Bird (1995, 72 mins): the director discusses her career television and film leading up to Priest and how she became involved in the project
• Jimmy McGovern Remembers...Priest (2015, 14 mins): the screenwriter looks back on his acclaimed, but controversial drama, explaining how an initial desire to explore the notion of celibacy for Catholic priests became a tale tackling homosexuality
• The Take: Scene by Scene – Priest (1999, 4 mins): a brief presentation by Simon O'Brien which considers how Jimmy McGoverrn's catholic education and personal experiences influenced his writing on Priest
• The Priest (1953, 22 mins): amateur documentary outlining the work of Catholic priests in the Brentwood and Romford area. The film's tone, though pious, ranges from gentle humour to deadly earnest
• **FIRST PRESSING ONLY** Illustrated booklet with new writing on the film by Lillian Crawford, a new essay on Antonia Bird by Rachel Pronger and new writing on Jimmy McGovern by Mark Duguid