Bernard Preynat
Introduction
By the Grace of God (French: Grâce à Dieu) is a 2019 French-Belgian drama film directed by François Ozon. The film stars Melvil Poupaud, Denis Ménochet and Swann Arlaud as three survivors of a Catholic priest's abuse who, as adults, set out to expose the sexual abuse hidden by the Catholic Church.
It premiered at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival and won the Jury Grand Prix. The film was released in France on 20 February 2019 and in Belgium a week later, and has received critical acclaim.
Plot
Alexandre, François and Emmanuel were victimized as children by the venerable and predatory Father Bernard Preynat. As adults, when they discover that their former tormentor has been reassigned and has apparently been shielded all along by a heavenly institution hellbent on silence, the men, still scarred and facing near-insurmountable challenges to their faith, begin a movement to bring the Church to account.
Cast
- Melvil Poupaud: Alexandre Guérin
- Denis Ménochet: François Debord
- Swann Arlaud: Emmanuel Thomassin
- Éric Caravaca: Gilles Perret
- François Marthouret: Cardinal Barbarin
- Bernard Verley: Bernard Preynat
- Josiane Balasko: Irène Thomassin
- Martine Erhel: Régine Maire
- Hélène Vincent: Odile Debord
- Frédéric Pierrot: Captain Courteau
- Aurélia Petit: Marie Guérin
Production
Principal photography on the film began on February 12, 2018 and lasted till April 13, 2018 in Paris, France and Belgium.
Reception
By the Grace of God received largely positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 94% score based on 18 critics, with an average rating of 7.62/10. It has a 76 out of 100 score on Metacritic based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Lawsuit
The priest portrayed in the film, Bernard Preynat, attempted without success to block its release in France. On 4 July 2019, an ecclesiastical tribunal of the Archdiocese of Lyon announced it had determined that Preynat was "guilty of criminal acts of a sexual character on minors younger than 16" and applied its maximum penalty by defrocking him. Preynat had one month to appeal the decision to the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.