This article was written by Joe Belanger and originally appears in the London Free Press, August 22, 2019. Click here to view the full article.
A “powerful” award-winning documentary that features a London lawyer will open the fourth-annual Forest City Film Festival in October.
Prey, a film directed by Windsor native Matt Gallagher, that tells the story of a clergy sexual abuse survivor’s court battle with the Catholic Church, will be featured for the official kick-off of the festival Oct. 24.
The festival will be held at four locations in downtown London Oct. 23-27.
Prey includes London lawyer Rob Talach, who represented the victims of Father William Hodgson (Hod) Marshall, a retired priest and teacher who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing youths in Toronto, Sudbury and Windsor.
The film won the $50,000 Rogers’ audience award for best Canadian documentary and the DGC special jury prize for Canadian feature documentary at Hot Docs. It placed second in audience voting for favourite of all films at Hot Docs.
“It is a powerful film, poignant, meaningful and it’s very much a Southwestern Ontario story,” said Dorothy Downs, the London film festival’s artistic director.
“It’s doing well at all the festivals and I can’t believe our luck in finding such a terrific film to open our festival. You will be changed by that film. It’s a really special film.”
Marshall, who pleaded guilty in 2011 to 16 counts of indecent assault of minors and one count of sexual assault between 1952 and 1986, was moved repeatedly by the Basilian Fathers of Toronto after cases of his abuse surfaced, leading to what’s believed to be the largest civil award in Canada — $2.75 million — given to a victim of priest abuse in 2018. The decision is under appeal.
Marshall, who died at age 92 in 2014, admitted in 1996 he had abused 90 boys during his career.
Prey will be among 40 in competition at the London festival, which will screen more than 60 films, the most ever entered or screened at the festival, being held at four venues: Wolf Performance Hall, Good Foundation Theatre, Museum London and Imagine Cinemas London.
Talach, who has handled more than 400 clergy abuse cases during 17 years, said in a telephone interview he expects Prey to impact people.
“I think people will get to know the actual people involved in this issue and get a more (complete) understanding of the situation, not just the effect, but the institutional behaviour,” said Talach.
“It’s a battle of information and the more people understand the long-term impacts and institution’s disregard, the further we are along to finding a solution. It puts a fire in your belly to address the issues, to protect children and hold the institution accountable . . . This film shows the lingering and haunting effect of sexual abuse, how it stays with these victims throughout their lives.”
The festival will unveil its line-up of films Sept. 12.
Downs said a number of new events have been added to the festival including a 48-hour filmmaking challenge, screening of French-language films, a youth (high school) film festival and a VR (virtual reality) film showcase and said there will be a repeat of last year’s highly successful flashback event showing a classic movie that features a prominent local person in the film.
If you go
What: Forest City Film Festival, with more than 60 full-length and short feature films and documentaries, including more than 40 in competition.
When: Oct. 23-27 with the official opening Oct. 24.
Where: Four venues across London.
Tickets: Visit the website forestcityfilmfestival.ca for information on tickets, events and films.
