{"id":19649,"date":"2019-02-27T12:45:01","date_gmt":"2019-02-27T11:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/leregardlibre.com\/?p=19649"},"modified":"2025-12-04T22:37:20","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T21:37:20","slug":"thanks-to-god-and-empty-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leregardlibre.com\/en\/cinema\/films\/grace-a-dieu-et-aux-paroles-creuses\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00abThanks be to God\u00bb and empty words"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cinema Wednesdays - Loris S. Musumeci<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00abDeep down, I knew; we all knew, and we said nothing.\u00bb <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The facts are now well known. For the Preynat affair, as for other cases of pedophilia involving the Catholic Church around the world. A film at the heart of current events. However, Fran\u00e7ois Ozon has chosen to remain in the realm of fiction, rather than turning to documentary. Inspired directly and closely by reality, Alexandre's story, and that of other victims of sexual abuse when they were scouts in the Lyon diocese, is brought to the screen to provoke the shock needed to shake things up. To \u00abfree the word\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Pedophilia on screen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beware, however, of taking everything for granted with such a theme. It's hard to fault a film about pedophilia. In this case, there's not much to reproach Fran\u00e7ois Ozon for. Unlike Tickles<\/a><\/em> released last autumn<\/a>, which also dealt with paedophilia, but in my opinion from a silly, whiny and clumsy angle. And yet.., Thanks be to God<\/em> would have had everything it takes to make an ideological, unrestrained and excessively anti-clerical film. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing is certain: this is an impressive exercise in accuracy. Even if the film does have a few shortcomings, namely some not-so-bad flashbacks, poorly accompanied either by the angelic voices of the children's choirs or by soft, fine little melodies. This overdoes the contrast between the monstrosity of the priest and the innocence of the children. The images speak for themselves, without the need for further elaboration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the plot's progression is laden with a certain heaviness that is not due to the serious theme, but to the exaggeratedly meditative slowness of small, everyday scenes that leave the viewer more weary than moved. I thought I understood paedophilia to be a disease: no, it's a diabolical vice that affects those whose most filthy wickedness is buried in their hearts. God will judge them, but after us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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