Oscar-winning ‘Spotlight’ dubbed as ‘clergy sex abuse victims’ voice’

Johannesburg : Vatican newspaper has recently showered praises on the Oscar-winning film ‘Spotlight,’ saying that Tom McCarthy-directorial has given voice to the victims of clerical sex abuse.

The afternoon edition of the daily newspaper of Vatican City, L’Osservatore Romano has dedicated two articles to the Academy Awards and to the ‘Spotlight’ movie and has also quoted producer Michael Sugar’s positive acceptance speech, Channel.24 reports.

Praising biographical crime drama film, Lucetta Scaraffia, one of L’Osservatore’s main columnists and the editor of its monthly edition on women’s issues has penned a piece titled ‘Faith in the institution’.

Her piece read, “It means there’s still faith in the institution, there’s faith in a pope who is continuing the clean-up started by his predecessor as cardinal. And there’s still trust in a faith that has at its heart the defense of victims and the protection of innocents.”

She pointed out that he film was not anti-Catholic, as it manages to give voice to the shock and profound pain of the faithful when confronted with discovery of this horrible reality.

Vatican Radio, which gave the film an enthusiastically positive review in October when it screened at the Venice Film Festival, also praised “Spotlight” in its Oscar wrap as a “rigorous and authentic” reconstruction.

In an interview Rev. Tim Kesicki, president of the Jesuit Conference in the U.S said they were moved by the courage of those survivors who came forward and shared their truth, and was devastated by the size and scope of the suffering.

‘ Spotlight,’ which received a total of six nominations at the 88th Academy Awards, won two for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. (ANI)