▁. ▁. ▁. ▁Pri est ▁is ▁less ▁a ▁work ▁of ▁art ▁than ▁an ▁Op - ed ▁piece ; ▁as ▁such , ▁whatever ▁virt ues ▁it ▁has ▁exist ▁in ▁the ▁soci ological ▁sphere , ▁not ▁the ▁a est h etic ." ▁ ▁R ita ▁K em ple y ▁of ▁The ▁Washington ▁Post ▁said , ▁" Part ▁soap ▁opera ▁and ▁part ▁propag anda , ▁this ▁sometimes ▁affect ing ▁drama ▁presents ▁a ▁one - s ided ▁exam ination ▁of ▁the ▁church ' s ▁teach ings ▁on ▁hom osex ual ity ▁and ▁the ▁cel ib acy ▁of ▁its ▁cler gy ▁. ▁. ▁. ▁Ro ache , ▁a ▁veter an ▁of ▁British ▁stage ▁and ▁television , ▁gives ▁a ▁stir ring ▁performance , ▁which ▁cr ests ▁in ▁the ▁film ' s ▁trans c endent ▁finale . ▁Beautiful ly ▁sust ained ▁by ▁the ▁actors ▁and ▁well ▁directed ▁by ▁Bird , ▁this ▁last ▁scene ▁is ▁an ▁emot ional ▁e pi ph any ▁for ▁both ▁the ▁characters ▁and ▁the ▁audience , ▁all ▁b athed ▁in ▁the ▁bal m ▁of ▁forg iveness ." ▁ ▁Awards ▁and ▁nomin ations ▁The ▁film ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁B AF TA ▁Award ▁for ▁Best ▁British ▁Film ▁but ▁lost ▁to ▁Sh allow ▁Gra ve . ▁It ▁won ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Cho ice ▁Award ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁Toronto ▁International ▁Film ▁Festival , ▁was ▁named ▁Best ▁New ▁British ▁Fe ature ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁Edinburgh ▁International ▁Film ▁Festival , ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁Ted dy ▁Award ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5