VENICE
The Guardian (UK)
Andrew Pulver
@Andrew_Pulver
Thursday 3 September 2015
Actor Mark Ruffalo issued a dramatic plea to the pope to use the new film Spotlight, which chronicles the investigation into widespread clerical sexual abuse in Boston, to “begin to heal the wounds sustained not just by the survivors, but all the people that lost their faith because of the revelations”.
Ruffalo was speaking to journalists at the world premiere of Spotlight at the Venice film festival, and directly addressed Pope Francis. “I hope the Vatican will use this movie to begin to right those wrongs: not just for the victims and their destroyed lives, but for all the people who have lost their way to order a chaotic world for themselves. We are hoping the pope will use this sober and, I believe, judicious story to begin to healing the wounds the church also received.”
However, Spotlight’s director Tom McCarthy said he was not hopeful that there would be any meaningful change within the Catholic church. “I remain pessimistic. I was raised Catholic – but words are one thing, actions are another. I have high hopes for Francis, but what actually changes remains to be seen. To be honest, I expect no reaction at all. Nothing would make me happier to be proven wrong. I would love the pope, the cardinals and bishops and priests to see it. I don’t think anyone can think this is an attack on the church: everything in the movie has been well reported on and documented.”
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