Scottish Catholic Observer

The filmmakers behind Spotlight made a plea to Pope Francis after winning Best Picture at last night’s Oscars.

Spotlight—which starred Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Michael Keaton—tells the story of the Boston Globe’s investigation into cover-up allegation over of clerical abuse in Boston Archdiocese.

The film’s director Tom McCarthy (above) also won Best Original Screenplay on the night alongside his co-writer Josh Singer, and dedicated the film to ‘survivors of abuse whose courage and will to overcome is really an inspiration.’

During the Best Picture acceptance speech at the Academy Awards, producer Michael Sugar hoped that its win would ‘amplify’ survivors’ voices.

“We will become a choir that will resonate all the way to the Vatican,” Mr Sugar said. “Pope Francis, it’s time to protect the children and restore the Faith.”

Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, the Vatican’s former chief prosecutor of clerical abuse crimes, insists that all bishops and cardinals see the film.

“The movie shows how the instinct—that unfortunately was present in the church—to protect a reputation was completely wrong,” he said. “It is reporting that will save the church, not ‘omerta.’”

This positive response to Spotlight’s subject matter was pre-empted in part by Mr McCarthy’s respect for how ordinary Catholics like his parents would react to the film. He described how his own mother ‘had a tough time processing’ the film.

“She was struggling, and our great local priest Fr Jack drove into New York to see it,” Mr McCarthy said. “He loved it and had a great conversation with her and talked her through it. It was something my dad would have done for her, but now he’s not around, a priest did it instead.”