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	Kilburn: Sex Abuse Film Shows during Pope's Visit Wembley and Kingsbury Times September 15, 2010 http://www.wktimes.co.uk/content/brent/wembleychronicle/news/story.aspx?brand=WKCOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newswkc&itemid=WeED15%20Sep%202010%2015%3A01%3A58%3A330 A FILM about love and the affect of sexual abuse by a Catholic priest will be screened to coincide with the Pope's state visit this week. Beyond the Fire, written and directed by Maeve Murphy, won numerous awards since its release and will be screened at the Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn, this Saturday - the final day of the Pope's visit. It follows the experience of Sheamy, a former trainee priest from Ireland. He meets Katie, the flatmate of his only friend in London, and they fall in love. Both are rape survivors - Katie by an assault in the street and Sheamy by an abusive priest. Initial reviews were mixed - it was criticised as melodramatic and stilted in parts and seems to be concerned more with hammering home its moral message than the subtleties of its central relationship. It's heartfelt belief in the power of love won it many fans. The audiences who didn't quite 'get' the film two years ago are clamouring over its cultural significance in the wake of the sex abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic church. Murphy suddenly found her little independent film at the heart of the news agenda. She said: "I was gob-smacked. It was quite an honour and a privilege to be so in rhythm with current affairs and what is happening in the world. That's a very rare moment for culture." Screening the film on the day of the Pope's visit is seems to be a deliberately provocative move by Murphy, but she maintains her aim is not to provoke rather to raise a dialogue and awareness. She said: "I don't think it's provocative to screen it that weekend. "The aim is giving the experience of those who were sexually abused a cultural voice at that moment so that their voice doesn't get lost in the pomp and ceremony of the Pope's visit. "It's a moment where a cultural fictional film can show people the heart of it, the damage done to human beings." Murphy described the plot in much the same way - as a beacon of hope. She said: "People who have been victims of sexual violence or sexual abuse often feel tarnished, as though their lives have been destroyed. "I thought it would be a very touching love story or romance if it was people who were refusing to let this tragedy that had happened to them destroy their love life, especially their sex life." Murphy said: "I'm really glad that they are hosting the screening in Kilburn. "I'm Irish, the executive producer is Irish, it's about the London Irish and the Irish community in London, as everywhere, have been rocked by this scandal." The highest concentration of Irish people in London live in Kilburn. Contact: times.series@archant.co.uk
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