Twist of Faith

When a Boston newspaper published an article in 2002 about a Catholic priest who was allowed to stay in the priesthood despite having committed sexual abuse, it was the overture to a whole series of disclosures and a wave of indignation in the United States. The Catholic-raised firefighter Tony Comes, whose story is the focus of , was one of the victims who revealed his story that year. "It's strange to be 34 and question everything you have learned," he says in the film. As a 14-year-old boy, he was abused by Father Dennis Gray, who taught religion at his secondary school in Toledo, Ohio. When Comes finds out he is not Gray's only victim, the shame he has lived with for years turns to fury. He takes steps against the Church as it tries to sweep the scandal under the carpet. This results in mounting tension between him and his wife, family and friends, who resent the fact that he is discrediting the diocese they belong to. follows Comes's search for justice. He reveals many personal details while behind the wheel of his car, and part of the footage was shot by the protagonists themselves. This produces an intimate film, compiled from home movies, diary excerpts, images of psychiatric sessions, interviews with other victims and news bulletins. Father Gray turns up in passages from a cross-examination in which he mostly denies the accusations or remains silent.