Confessions
When a young woman confesses her lust for a man devoted to the church, her priest’s guidance blurs into provocation when he believes the confession is meant for him.
Genre:
Erotic Thriller, Comedy
Runtime:
3mins
Format:
16mm Film
Cast:
Samantha Clifford
Warren Steele
CJ Swank
Crew:
Writers & Directors: Alejandra Perozo Borges & Rocco Shapiro
Producer & Editor: Rocco Shapiro
Cinematographer: Jazleana Jones
Production Designer: Isa Medina
Costume Designer: Isa Maria Jones
Director’s Statement:
“Confessions explores the uneasy space between desire and devotion, where power can quietly shift under the guise of guidance. This project began with conversations about the inherent eroticism of the church… from communion, to the private confessional, to the naming of the priest as “Father.”
Rather than treating lust as something purely transgressive, the film asks how repression, interpretation, and projection can be just as dangerous. The priest’s belief that the confession is meant for him reveals how authority can distort intention, turning care into temptation and exposing the hypocrisy ingrained in both the priest and the institution he represents.
Tonally, we approach the story as a darkly comic erotic thriller that finds tension in glances, pauses, and language. By leaning fully into the familiar drama and aesthetics of religious cinema with sincerity and earnestness, we aimed to push the seriousness so far that it ultimately becomes funny.”
- Alejandra Perozo Borges & Rocco Shapiro

