21st Century Nuns
MOV digital file Colour Sound 1993 10:07

Summary: Documentary about the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The Sisters are an order of gay, male nuns, consisting of approximately 30 in Great Britain. Their work covers many areas including: safer sex education, protests and demonstrations, outreach to the gay community, and providing ritual to the gay population. Their goal is to "expiate all stigmatic guilt and promulgate universal joy..." The film ends with a faux Canonisation of Derek Jarman who appears in the film dressed in golden robes and carried
Title number: 22079
LSA ID: LSA/29658
Description: Sister Brigid over Troubled Water
Sister Frigidity of the Nocturnal Emission
Ssiter in Gloire de Marengo
Sister Luc, Sister Sux Cox, Sister Anaesthesia
Mother Abyss David Fisher
Derek Jarman
00:00 – 02:01 ‘The London International Film School presents’ title card. Three men in nun outfits walk down the aisle of a church, each holding a lit candle. Once they reach the front, they turn around and stand in a line. Close up on one of the nuns (Sister Bridget Over Troubled Waters), then the camera pans to the right to show the other nuns. ‘21st Century Nuns’ title card. Three nuns in a park. One of the nuns reads a speech before tying a bandeau around the forehead of another nun who is kneeling down, with the third nun stood behind him with his hands on the kneeling nun’s shoulders. Close up on a nun talking to camera. Selection of stills of the ‘Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence’.
02:01 – 03:48 A group of nuns walk down the street. Still of ‘Sister Bridget’, then his name fades on to the screen next to him. Close up on ‘Sister Bridget’ talking to camera. Still of another nun, the name ‘Sister Frigidity of the Nocturnal Emission’ fades in. Close up on ‘Sister Frigidity’ sat on a chair. Still of ‘Sister Frigidity’ at an anti-police protest. Shot outside ‘The Coleherne’ Pub, then of Kensington police station. Still of a nun on a swing, the name ‘Sister Belladonna In Gloire De Marengo’ fades in. Close up on ‘Sister Belladonna’ sat talking to camera. Stills of nuns at protests. Still of safer sex and HIV & AIDS posters.
03:48 – 05:36 A nun sits in a chair with another nun lying down in front of him. The nun lying down takes a banana out of his robe and places it is his mouth. The man sat down smears lube over the banana, then puts a condom on the banana before smearing more lube on it. He then leans forward and puts his mouth over the banana. Four nuns sit by the Horse of Helious statue at Piccadilly Circus. Close up on ‘Sister Bridget’s’ face talking to camera. Shot of Piccadilly Circus as the four nuns walk past singing. Newspaper clipping of Derek Jarman with 5 nuns. Close up on Sister Frigidity talking to camera. Black and white stills of the canonisation of Derek Jarman.
05:36 – 06:49 Close up of Derek Jarman in a gold robe and crown talking to camera. More black and white stills from his canonisation. Pride March - A lorry decorated with balloons and banners for ‘OutRage!’ drives past slowly, with Derek Jarman and other nuns on the back. A parade moves past the camera, including nuns and other members of the LGBT community. Close up on Derek Jarman’s face.
06:49 – 08:24 Two nuns walk past the front and then into ‘Comptons of Soho’ pub. Two nuns stand talking and drinking in the pub. A man walks over and starts talking with them. Sister Bridget irons his headwear. The camera follows him as he walks down the street in his ‘regular’ clothes. Close up on Sister Frigidity sat in a chair in his ‘secular’ clothes. Close up on Sister Belladonna stood talking to camera, also in regular clothing.
08:24 – Sister Bridget sat on a sofa with his partner. Shot of the outside of a clothes shop. The camera follows Sister Frigidity as he walks past and down the street. Camera follows a nun as he cycles along the path. Credits.
Credits: Tom Stephan (Director); Gavin Pollack (Producer); Andrew Clarke (Camera operator)
Keywords: LGBTQIA; Queer; Pride March; Transvestite
Locations: Soho, Central London, Compton Street. Kensington
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