By The Grace of God * * * *

         I really like the work of Francois Ozon.
         This has been around for a couple of months on limited showing and will be sure to drop off soon so I thought I'd go and see it while I still can.

         By the Grace of God is a dramatisation of France's disappointment and outrage on discovering a horrendous acts of pedophilia in the Catholic church.  It seems that every county has a story to tell of children abused by trusting priests. Seeing we are the first country to bring a Cardinal to justice perhaps it is Australia's turn next?
        He tells the story case by case, commencing with a family man distressed to find the new priest in his parish will be the same one who abused him as a child.
         Soon others are coming forward and as each one does so we learn of their details too.  Some have been fortunate enough to get on with their life, but some have become broken and damaged men.
         Understandably the film has been compared with  Spotlight. But this is more about the subject matter than the story, for in this case the press were very reluctant to be involved.  The investigation and reporting was left to the victims. It's a true story and the trial of the perpetrators continues.