A condom-piercing Catholic priest takes God’s will into his own hands in this contraception comedy from Croatia.
Fabian, an ambitious young Catholic priest, is sent to take over from a popular predecessor in a small Dalmatian island village. On arrival he is shocked to discover birth rates are surprisingly low. And the cause? A rampant culture of contraception amongst the congregation. Soliciting the support of some key local vendors, Fabian takes to puncturing prophylactics and switching contraception pills to put a stop to all this sinful wasting of seed. An hilarious, madcap comedy ensues as the tiny island experiences a pregnancy boom.
Set to become Croatia’s highest grossing film ever, The Priest’s Children is directed by the undisputed darling of new Croatian cinema, Vinko Brešan. While the film revels in its own sardonic absurdity and delightfully executed screwball and slapstick, it is not without its more cutting critiques, in particular the church’s opposition to sex education in Croatian schools. In a year in which we have seen some very serious cinema around religious themes, this is a witty, welcome dose of blithe satire.
Canberra International Film Festival
‘An engagingly broad and breezy comedy, The Priest’s Children is a genuine easy-going filmic pleasure, delightfully performed, beautifully shot and relishing its sense of playful irony.’
Screen International
