Synopsis: A powerful indictment of the Catholic Church, CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE is a memorable debut from writer/director John Deery. Set in Ireland, Deery formulates his plot around whispers and rumors surrounding the sexuality of priests, then pulls them kicking and screaming onto the screen.... A powerful indictment of the Catholic Church, CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE is a memorable debut from writer/director John Deery. Set in Ireland, Deery formulates his plot around whispers and rumors surrounding the sexuality of priests, then pulls them kicking and screaming onto the screen. Father Frank Sweeney (Patrick Lynch) is a Catholic priest who becomes HIV-positive following several sexual dalliances with other men. Exiled from the priesthood after a botched attempt at bringing his sexual status into the public domain, Sweeney commits suicide. Local newspaper reporter David Foley (Jason Barry) is intrigued by Sweeney's death, and sets about investigating the deceased Father's seminary. His legwork leads him to Daniel McLaughlin, a local student of the seminary who has been expelled due to an after-hours meeting with a practicing priest. The crestfallen student explains the nature of his expulsion to Foley, allowing the reporter to draw Sweeney and McLaughlin's stories together to form a compelling case about the outdated ethics of the Catholic Church. But the Church is a formidable opponent to Foley's protests, leading to late-night encounters with some shadowy figures, and an anonymous death threat against his family. Meanwhile, McLaughlin is torn between the girl he left behind when pursuing his dream of becoming a priest, and the wishes of his family to somehow pick up the pieces and find another seminary. It all builds to a hugely satisfying conclusion, with director Deery setting up a final confrontation between Foley, McLaughlin, and representatives of the Church on a live television talk show, which leads to a surprising and unexpected denouement to the movie. [More]