The Option

Details

Location

Benburb, Derry/Londonderry

Year

1965

Date

Production

Length

17min 52sec

Audio

sound

Format

16mm

colour

Source

Digitised as part of the BFI's Unlocking Film Heritage project

Courtesy

British Film Institute, Peter McDonald, Terence McDonald

Rights Holder

Peter McDonald

It is illegal to download, copy, print or otherwise utilise in any other form this material, without written consent from the copyright holder.

Description

Ever wondered what it takes to become a priest? The Option explores the shifting attitudes towards the priesthood through a series of interviews. Listen to voices from the congregation and clergy to discover their beliefs and doubts about this vocation. Is it time for the Church to change its attitude towards celibacy, marriage and women? Do people in the 1960s believe there still a need for priests and if so what qualities make a man suited for this challenging life in service?

Notes

Terence McDonald (1926 – 2001) was a teacher, film historian, film collector and a pioneering amateur filmmaker from Derry. He made 35 films in his lifetime covering a wide range of themes such as mental health, travelling theatre, and portraits of his home town, Derry. His playful fiction films often pay homage to classic cinema moments from Peyton Place to Potemkin, from Chaplin to Jacques Tati. Terence McDonald undertook all aspects of production - filming, sound recording and editing and produced a body of remarkably sophisticated work. This film is courtesy of his son Peter McDonald.

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