EditBy the Grace of God (2019)

rancois Ozon, whose latest film, “Double Lover,” competed at the Cannes Film Festival last year, is now making “By the Grace of God,” a drama looking at a real-life case of sexual abuses allegedly committed by a French priest in the late 1980s. “By the Grace of God” is produced by Mandarin Production, in co-production with Playtime, which is also handling international sales. Mars Films will distribute the movie in France on Feb. 20. A world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival is likely. Now in post-production, the film is inspired by the scandal surrounding Bernard Preynat, a Roman Catholic priest who was accused of having abused scouts from 1986 to 1991, and was only recently indicted after several victims decided to file lawsuits. “By the Grace of God” follows Alexandre, a man in his 40s living in Lyon with his wife and children, who discovers that the priest who abused him decades ago continues to work with children. He joins forces with François and Emmanuel, who were also victims of the priest, to bring justice and “lift the burden of silence” about what they endured. (Variety, september 2018).

There are many films, based on real events. Unfortunately, “By the Grace of God” is one of them. Alexandre is a catholic boy who has the terrible destiny to get abused by a priest. As the time goes by, Alexandre turns into an adult man, father of five children. Living in Lyon with his family he is still going to church passionately. When he learns that the devil from his past - Father Preynat, the sick person who turned his childhood into a nightmare is still a priest, still working with children, Alexandre starts a crusade. The man is not going to carry the burden alone - two other victims of the disgusting priest decide to join him. What they do may look like a desperate action, having in mind the tremendous power of the Catholic Church, but truth always finds a way to come to the surface.