BONN (GERMANY)
Deutsche Welle
Oct. 10, 2019
A French court ruled on Monday that Francois Ozon’s film By the Grace of God, which won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize on Saturday at the International Film Festival, may be released in France, according to news agency AFP.
The domestic theatrical release of Ozon’s work, which tackles France’s most important church child abuse trial to date, was threatened as the priest at the center of the case had gone to court to try to prevent it from being shown in the country.
The judge determined that film meets the requirements of the law since a text in its epilogue mentions that the priest is presumed innocent until found guilty. However, the priest’s lawyer said they would appeal the decision, even if it would not prevent the movie’s release. “It’s a question of principle,” the attorney said, adding that it would otherwise open the door to films interfering with legal action.
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