By the Grace of God

11 yrs 137 minutes • 2018 • 7.2

When the now adult father-of-five Alexandre discovers that the priest who abused him as a child is still working with young people, he is determined to stop him. He reports the abuse to the church, and at first, he is met with understanding and encouragement from the cardinal's office. But when he realizes that they just let him talk without bringing the case forward, he realizes that he must convince other men to come forward and tell their stories. This marks the beginning of a long struggle against strong hierarchies and a culture of silence where the victims are portrayed as troublemakers and the perpetrators are protected. The story is based on a noted case that shook France and the Catholic Church's highest decision-maker in the country. The film's director François Ozon won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival 2019.