The Penitential Act

John, a young queer man who believes he deserves unending punishment, shame, and humiliation, returns to the harsh and unwelcoming North-West of England in 1986 following a period in prison. Discovering that his family have abandoned him, John is left alone and homeless, finding pleasure only in provoking others as he forges a path of self-destruction. He returns to his old Parish church to find Father Upton still practicing, a priest who rages with fire and brimstone at the world of sin, impurity, and lust that he views to be ever-growing around him. John pursues the divine punishment that Father Upton seemingly offers and attempts to provoke the priest into giving him what he wants, through a most heinous act. Ultimately, these two men strive to remain in their respective prisons that they have made for themselves, but their interactions open the doors to possible freedom.