November 27 2018 (XXXVII:14) Tom McCarthy: SPOTLIGHT (2015, 129 min.) Online versions of The Goldenrod Handouts have color images & hot links: http://csac.buffalo.edu/goldenrodhandouts.html

DIRECTOR Tom McCarthy WRITING and Tom McCarthy PRODUCERS Blye Pagon Faust, , Nicole Rocklin, and Michael Sugar MUSIC CINEMATOGRAPHY FILM EDITING Tom McArdle

Academy Awards, USA 2016 The film won Best Motion Picture of the Year: Michael Sugar, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, and Blye Pagon Faust; Best Writing, Original Screenplay: Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy; and was nominated for Best Performance by an in a Supporting Role: ; Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: Rachel McAdams; Best Achievement in Directing: Tom McCarthy; and Best Achievement in Film Editing: Tom McArdle.

CAST Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay (with Josh Singer) Mark Ruffalo...Mike Rezendes for Spotlight (2015),* and he was nominated for Best ...Walter 'Robby' Robinson Achievement in Directing for the same film at the 2016 Academy Rachel McAdams...Sacha Pfeiffer Awards. He had been previously nominated for an Oscar for Best Liev Schreiber...Marty Baron Writing, Original Screenplay (with and Pete ...Ben Bradlee Jr. Doctor) for Up (2009) at the 2010 . He has also Brian d'Arcy James...Matt Carroll produced and directed the acclaimed and critiqued, popular and ...Mitchell Garabedian controversial series (2017-2018).** He Elena Wohl...Barbara also directed (2003), The Visitor (2007), Win Gene Amoroso...Steve Kurkjian Win (2011), and The Cobbler (2014). He has written for 9 films Doug Murray...Peter Canellos and television series, and he has produced 5 films and television Sharon McFarlane...Helen Donovan series. Though he is more recognized for his writing and Jamey Sheridan...Jim Sullivan directing, he has also acted in 40 films and television series Neal Huff...Phil Saviano dating back to 1989, such as: Crossing the Bridge (1992), Billy Crudup...Eric Macleish Conspiracy Theory (1997), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Robert B. Kennedy...Court Clerk Mark (2000 TV Series), The Guru (2002), Good Night, and Good Duane Murray...Hansi Kalkofen Luck. (2005), (2005), All the King's Men (2006), Flags Brian Chamberlain...Paul Burke of our Fathers (2006), (2007), Law & Order Michael Cyril Creighton...Joe Crowley (2002-2008 TV Series), (TV Series), Duplicity (2009), Paul Guilfoyle ...Pete Conley The Lovely Bones (2009), (2010), Little Michael Countryman...Richard Gilman Fockers (2010), and Pixels (2015). *Writer TOM MCCARTHY (June 7, 1966 in New Providence, New **Producer Jersey) has received significant recognition as a director, writer, and producer in the late and into the 2010s. He won the JOSH SINGER (b. 1972) began his film and television career writing for from 2003 to 2006. He won an Oscar McCarthy: SPOTLIGHT—2

(with Tom McCarthy) for Best Writing, Original Screenplay in photography), (2013 director of 2016 for Spotlight (2015). He has written for 11 films and photography), Spotlight (2015), Black Mass (2015 director of television series, including: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit photography), and Hostiles (2017). (2007-2008 TV Series), Lie to Me (2009 TV Series), The Fifth Estate (2013 screenplay by), The Post (2017 written by), and MARK RUFFALO (b. November 22, 1967 in Kenosha, First Man (2018 screenplay by). Wisconsin) has been continuously recognized for his work as a supporting actor, earning three Oscar nominations for Best HOWARD SHORE (October 18, 1946 in , Ontario) Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: in 2011 for The won Academy Awards: in 2002 for Best Music, Original Score Kids Are All Right (2010), in 2015 for Foxcatcher (2014), and in for : The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and 2016 for Spotlight (2015). In 2000, Ruffalo played opposite in 2004 for Best Music, Original Score and Best Music, Original Laura Linney in playwright ’s writing- Song (shared with Fran directing debut You Walsh and Annie Lennox) Can Count on Me, a for The Lord of the Rings: film that was selected The Return of the King by The Washington (2003). He has consistently Post film critic Ann worked on Hornaday as one of the films, starting with The 23 best films of (1979). In 2014, he twenty-first century. won the Cannes He has acted in 67 Award for the Cronenberg films and television film series, such as: CBS (2014). He has also Summer Playhouse consistently worked with (1989 TV Series), , beginning Nuclear Family (1989 with Gangs of TV Movie), There (2002). In 2012, he was Goes My Baby (1994), nominated for an Academy Blood Money (1996), Award for Best Achievement Safe Men (1998), Ride in Music Written for Motion with the Devil (1999), Pictures, Original Score for Scorsese’s Hugo (2011). He has Committed (2000), Windtalkers (2002), View from the Top composed for 93 films, including: Drop Dead, Dearest (1978), (2003), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Collateral (1981), (1983), After Hours (1985), The (2004), All the King's Men (2006), Chicago 10 (2007 Fly (1986), Big (1988), Dead Ringers (1988), The Lemon Sisters Documentary), Zodiac (2007), Reservation Road (2007), What (1989), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), A Kiss Before Dying Doesn't Kill You (2008), Where the Wild Things Are (2009), (1991), Naked Lunch (1991), M. Butterfly (1993), Mrs. Doubtfire Shutter Island (2010), The Avengers (2012), Iron Man 3 (2013), (1993), (1993), Ed Wood (1994), Nobody's Fool Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Now You See Me 2 (2016), (1994), Se7en (1995), Moonlight and Valentino (1995), White Thor: Ragnarok (2017), and Avengers: Infinity War (2018). Man's Burden (1995), Looking for Richard (1996 Documentary), Crash (1996), Striptease (1996), Cop Land (1997), Gloria MICHAEL KEATON (b. September 5, 1951 in Coraopolis, (1999), (1999), Dogma (1999), High Fidelity ) has acted in iconic, early films, such (2000), The Yards (2000), The Score (2001), (2002), as Beetlejuice (1988) and Batman (1989). He was nominated for Spider (2002), The Lord of the Rings Symphony (2003), The an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in Aviator (2004), (2005), 2015 for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2006), The Last Mimzy (2007), Doubt (2008), Edge of Darkness (2014). He has acted in 81 films and television series, such as: (2010), Cosmopolis (2012), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1974-1975 TV Series), Mary (2012), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), The Hartman, Mary Hartman (1977 TV Series), Rabbit Test (1978), Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014), Spotlight (2015), Night Shift (1982), Mr. Mom (1983), Johnny Dangerously and The Catcher Was a Spy (2018). (1984), Gung Ho (1986), She's Having a Baby (1988), Clean and Sober (1988), Pacific Heights (1990), One Good Cop (1991), MASANOBU TAKAYANAGI began working with Tom Batman Returns (1992), Much Ado About Nothing (1993), The McCarthy doing cinematography for Spotlight (2015). He is Paper (1994), (1997), Desperate Measures (1998), doing the cinematography for McCarthy’s next film Timmy (1998), Live from Baghdad (2002 TV Movie), 2003 Failure in post-production. Takayangi has done cinematography Quicksand (2003), White Noise (2005), Cars (2006), The Last for 34 films, including: Have You Seen Me (2000 Short, director Time (2006), Toy Story 3 (2010), RoboCop (2014), Spotlight of photography), Fragments of Existence (2003 Short), On the (2015), The Founder (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), D.L. (2004 Documentary short), The White Horse Is Dead and American Assassin (2017). (2005), Ugly Me (2006), War Eagle, Arkansas (2007), Viko (2009 Short), Meet Monica Velour (2010), Promises Written in RACHEL MCADAMS (b. November 17, 1978 in , Water (2010), (2012 director of Ontario, Canada) made her first mark in film in the Tina Fey- McCarthy: SPOTLIGHT—3 scripted, young adult classic film Mean Girls (2004), a role she Naked Man (1998), Traffic (2000), Bad Company (2002), A was directed to model after ’s infamous, venomous Death in the Family (2002 TV Movie), The Station Agent (2003), monologue in (1992). She was nominated Mona Lisa Smile (2003), Noise (2004), Dirty Dancing: Havana for an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Nights (2004), Flags of our Fathers (2006), Underdog (2007), Role at the 2016 Academy Awards for Spotlight (2015). She, Reservation Road (2007), Charlie Wilson's War (2007), Return most recently, starred opposite Rachel Weisz in Sebastián Lelio’s (2011), The Adjustment Bureau (2011), Bluebird (2013), Ted 2 Disobedience (2018). She has acted in 36 films and television (2015), Ant-Man (2015), Spotlight (2015), Churchill (2017), and series, such as: The Famous Jett Jackson (2001 TV Series), My Kansas City (2018 TV Movie). Name Is Tanino (2002), Perfect Pie (2002), The Hot Chick (2002), (2005), The Family Stone (2005), The BRIAN D’ARCY JAMES (b. June 29, 1968 in Saginaw, Time Traveler's Wife (2009), Sherlock Holmes (2009), Morning Michigan) has acted in 42 films and television series, such as: Glory (2010), Midnight in Paris (2010), To the Wonder (2012), The City (1995 TV Series), Sax and Violins (1997), Neurotica Passion (2012), Every Thing Will Be Fine (2015), The Little (2004), Ghost Town (2008), Friends with Kids (2011), Admission Prince (2015), Southpaw (2015), (2015 TV (2013), Shrek the Musical (2013), Ironside (2013 TV Series), Series), Doctor Strange (2016), and Game Night (2018). Submissions Only (2014 TV Series), Time Out of Mind (2014), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2014 TV Series), The Funtastix (2014 TV Series), Hoke (2014 TV Movie), Spotlight (2015), Sisters (2015), Rebel in the Rye (2017), Molly's Game (2017), Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House (2017), 1922 (2017), Song of Back and Neck (2018), All These Small Moments (2018), and First Man (2018).

STANLEY TUCCI (b. November 11, 1960 in Peekskill, New York) was nominated for an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for The Lovely Bones (2009) at the 2010 Academy Awards. In 1998, he wrote, directed, and co- starred in The Imposters,** which was nominated the Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes. He also co-wrote, co-directed, and starred in Big Night (1996). He has acted in 127 films and television series, such as: Prizzi's Honor (1985), Who's That Girl LIEV SCHREIBER (b. October 4, 1967 in San Francisco, (1987), Monkey Shines (1988), Slaves of New York (1988), The ) has acted in 80 films and television series, such as: Feud (1989), Fear, Anxiety & Depression (1989), Quick Change Janek: The Silent Betrayal (1994 TV Movie), Party Girl (1995), (1990), Men of Respect (1990), Billy Bathgate (1991), In the Big Night (1996), Scream (1996), His and Hers (1997), Scream 2 Soup (1992), Beethoven (1992), Prelude to a Kiss (1992), The (1997), Sphere (1998), A Walk on the Moon (1999), The Pelican Brief (1993), Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994), Hurricane (1999), (2000), The Sum of All Fears (2002), It Could Happen to You (1994), Jury Duty (1995), Kiss of Death The Manchurian Candidate (2004), The Omen (2006), Chicago (1995), Deconstructing Harry (1997), A Midsummer Night's 10 (2007 Documentary), Love in the Time of Cholera (2007), Dream (1999), Joe Gould's Secret (2000), Sidewalks of New Defiance (2008), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), Taking York (2000), America's Sweethearts (2001), Road to Perdition Woodstock (2009), Repo Men (2010), Every Day (2010), Salt (2002), The Core (2003), Spin (2003), The Life and Death of (2010), ' (2013), A Perfect Man (2013), Peter Sellers (2004), The Terminal (2004), Lucky Number Slevin Spotlight (2015), Creed (2015), The 5th Wave (2016), Isle of (2006), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), The Hoax (2006), Julie Dogs (2018), and Ray Donovan (2013-2019 TV Series).* He has & Julia (2009), The Lovely Bones (2009), (2010), The also produced 4 films and television series, such as Chuck Hunger Games (2012), The Wind Rises (2013), The Fifth Estate (2016), and he has directed 2 films and television series. (2013), The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), *Directed and produced Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014), A Little Chaos (2014), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014), Wild Card JOHN SLATTERY (August 13, 1962 in , (2015), Fortitude (2015 TV Series), Larry Gaye: Renegade Male Massachusetts) is a character actor probably most recognized for Flight Attendant (2015), BoJack Horseman (2014-2015 TV his portrayal of Roger Sterling on (2007-2015), also Series), Spotlight (2015), Metropolis (2015 TV Mini-Series), The directing several episodes from 2010 to 2013. He has acted in Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015), Peter and Wendy other notable television series, such as: Veep in 2016, 30 Rock in (2015 TV Movie), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Transformers: 2010, and Law & Order from 1998 to 2000. He has most recently The Last Knight (2017), The Children Act (2017), Show Dogs acted in Matthew Weiner’s (creator of Mad Men) new anthology (2018), Patient Zero (2018), A Private War (2018), and Nomis series The Romanoffs (2018). He has also directed television (2018). series, such as Love (2016-2017) and ’s Pocket (2014). He has acted in 74 films and television series, such as: The Dirty David Ehrlich: “’Spotlight’ Director Tom McCarthy on Dozen (1988 TV Series), Tattinger's (1989 TV Series), Heroes, Healing and ‘The Cobbler’” () Homefront (1991-1993 TV Series), City Hall (1996), Eraser “Listen,” sighs director and co-writer Tom McCarthy as (1996), Sleepers (1996), Red Meat (1997), Harvest (1998), The his train of thought derails while trying to answer a question. “I McCarthy: SPOTLIGHT—4 just finished this movie in September and I haven’t really had can tell you that, as a devout Catholic, she’s still grappling with time to process it objectively. I just know it probably won’t be it. I think that’s understandable and admirable. for a few more months.” In this case, it’s an understandable I just forwarded a review to her, which I never do, but it reaction. His new film Spotlight, a painstakingly detailed was from a Catholic journal that was in support of the movie. procedural about how exposed the most They’re acknowledging that the film is raising a dialogue that pervasive and insidious cover-up in the history of the Catholic needs to continue until we’re absolutely sure that every child is Church, is a powerful reminder that the truth can be hard to safe. Why would we stop? Why would we lower our vigilance? I wrap your head around. think for some Catholics the idea is that we’re dredging up Unfolding like a cross between Zodiac and All the ancient history. Why bring it back up if only to rub salt in old President’s Men, Spotlight rewinds to the summer of 2001, wounds? But as a storyteller I believe very confidently that this when the Globe‘s new editor Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber) isn’t a problem of the past — this is a historical problem. We’re assigned the paper’s investigative “Spotlight” unit to look into an not putting the on the stake. We’re saying old story regarding a local priest who’d been accused of “Look, as with all man-made institutions, there are problems, and molesting kids and was this is obviously one of them.” reassigned to another parish. What’s the value of telling The team, led by veteran a story like this as a journalist Walter “Robby” narrative film rather than as Robinson (Michael Keaton), a doc? At the end of the day eventually uncovered decades we wanted to make an of sexual abuse perpetrated by entertaining movie, and we priests who preyed upon hoped that in doing so we children and were protected by might make a film that might the Church — a story that be more accessible — if not everyone in Boston knew but palatable — to an audience. nobody wanted to believe. There’s a bit more of a safe Most movies, distance when you’re making a especially ones with A-list narrative movie, a bit more stars like Keaton, Mark perspective. Audiences can Ruffalo and Rachel McAdams, separate themselves from the tend to play to the cheap seats in the name of awards-season harsh reality of the facts a little bit more and think: “Okay, how glory. But by focusing instead on the hard-nosed journalism that do I consider this?” I think particularly the way we approached broke the story, McCarthy has crafted a bracingly powerful film this subject matter, not only through the eyes of the journalists about the institutions that hold sway in our society, the need for a but through the eyes of survivors as men and women who have free press to hold them accountable, and the pervasive sense of lived with this for decades and continue to struggle with it. With guilt that can get in the way. The director rang up Rolling Stone docs, there’s often a very direct communication between the to talk about heroes, healing, and how it feels to direct a box filmmaker and the audience. With narrative movies, we leave it a office mega-bomb and a presumptive Best Picture nominee in the little bit more open. span of a single year. To that end, the movie does a good job of not turning Films about recent history invariably open with a the journalists into heroes, even though it shows their work title card that says “Based on actual events,” and Spotlight is as being heroic. Well, one of the journalists from the film said no exception. What sort of effect do you feel these non-fiction the same thing on a panel last night, and I just didn’t take the disclaimers have on an audience? I’ve never made a movie opportunity to push back on it. The term “hero” is bandied about based on actual events before, and so when we got to that point I a lot, but as far as my film is concerned I think they are heroes. really had to consider it. From a writing perspective it was a nod They’re even more heroic because of their humanity, because of to the amount of research we did and the amount of effort we put their flaws. They’re not superheroes, they’re human beings. The into the authenticity of the film, which was one of the great fact that Keaton’s character, Robby Robinson, acknowledges that challenges of the movie. I don’t know if this is something I really he missed the child-abuse story when it first came across his desk have a grasp of yet — does that title card make a movie more and he kind of falls on his sword for it — that’s heroic to me. Not important? Does it make a movie more meaningful, or right? I enough people own their mistakes, anymore. don’t know. You’d think as a filmmaker I’d have the right The reporters portrayed in the film have been doing answer for this [laughs]. But it seems to me that there’s press for the movie, and several of them even wrote articles something more honest about it, more transparent. about their time on the set. Did your subjects end up You were raised Catholic, and your parents had to becoming more like collaborators? I wouldn’t speak for them, placate concerned friends of theirs who’d call them and ask but I will say it’s a little bit of both. There came a point where why you wanted to make a movie about the scandal, right? I had to treat them as subjects. We interviewed them a lot, but then would stop short of saying they were “placated.” That’s we went away to write this movie, and they didn’t see a script. important, because I don’t think my parents had an answer. My We were lucky to have their complete involvement, and to some mother just saw the movie for the first time at the premiere in extent they were collaborators on that level, but it wasn’t like we New York last week — my father recently passed away — and I were involved on a day-to-day basis with them. Even now I think having them on board is really wonderful, because it feels like McCarthy: SPOTLIGHT—5 we’ve finally reached the point where our processes can notable strength with ensemble and dialogue to ground the piece intersect. It’s interesting to be on panels with them and hear them in ways that heighten it. While some may have considered the talk about their work. writer/director of character pieces like “The Station Agent” and If anyone truly collaborated with the reporters, it “The Visitor” an odd choice for such a prestige picture, he turns was your cast. Were you at all concerned that one of their out to be the perfect one, as his remarkable ability to write and performances might slip into imitation? I mean, it was direct three-dimensional characters makes the issues of certainly a consideration, but I was pretty aware of who I was “Spotlight” relatable and human. With fantastic ensemble work casting across the board. I didn’t know Michael Keaton and by Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Liev Rachel McAdams as well as I did some of the other , but Schreiber, John Slattery, Brian d’Arcy James, Billy Crudup and that’s part of my job as director. Everyone did their research, more, “Spotlight” is going to be one of those films that stays in which certainly added to the texture of their work. I remember the conversation for months and years to come. one conversation with Rachel when she came off a scene and I McCarthy gave us a call a few weeks ago, after the said: “That’s it, that’s the right pitch. Could you feel it?” She film’s amazing festival response and before its release, to discuss said “Yeah, I could kind of feel it in the pocket, there.” And then the true story, the current state of journalism, and his craft. she asked: “So, do you think people will get this?” I couldn’t Something I’m interested in lately is when a piece of answer that, I could just tell her that I knew her performance was work comes along for an artist—timing. And so I’m working. wondering how “Spotlight” speaks to where you are in your Did the Spotlight story restore a certain optimism to career now and how it might have been different if you made the city of Boston? I think the fact that this story broke in it five or ten years ago? Boston, the most Catholic of major American cities, is pretty That’s a very good question. It’s probably a little bit amazing. We now know that this is a problem that difficult for me to answer it—people around me could answer it hasn’t occurred only in Boston, but I think it says a lot about that better. You know, look, making movies is a very humbling newspaper and the people of Boston that it broke there. It says process. I’m five movies in now. You learn on every one. You that they’re fiercely loyal to the Catholic church, but that they’re really do. I will say that with this particular project—I made also fiercely loyal to their children. And when the story broke it presented the case in such a way that there was resounding support for change. I think the movie finds something cathartic about the experience. It’s almost uplifting. You’ve had a bit of a roller-coaster year with critics, between this film and the less-than-well-received film you directed. Was your experience with The Cobbler demoralizing or unexpected? Did knowing that you had a film like Spotlight in your back pocket make it easier to weather a difficult time? Well, it was far from my back pocket, because I was in pre-production when The Cobbler premiered. It was a really interesting experience, to be quite honest. It was probably a little bit of all of those emotions that you just referenced. It’s always painful when a movie doesn’t connect with audiences — I personally remain very proud of the movie, and I’m very happy I made the movie. Look, taking chances is my job; some will connect and “The Cobbler” right before this and it’s a movie that they went some won’t, and certain films find their audiences in different after me on. I was trying to make “Spotlight” before it and we ways. I think Spotlight probably is a better movie because of The couldn’t get it [together], so I thought, “I’ll go make this fun Cobbler. You learn with every movie you make, you learn from movie before it.” Making so close together was your mistakes and you learn from your achievements, and I incredibly helpful to me as a filmmaker—they were all lessons I really do have that approach to filmmaking. It was certainly a was taking with me. Making movies two or three years apart—I learning experience, just like making a good movie is a learning don’t want to say you forget but you’re not as sharp maybe. I felt experience. But it’s funny, the response hasn’t shaken my very sharp coming into “Spotlight.” I felt ready to go. Every film confidence in The Cobbler — I still really enjoy that movie. you kind of learn. You make mistakes. You do things right. And you grow from it. I feel like one thing was that I was so “Cinematic Procedure: Tom McCarthy on ‘Spotlight’” comfortable with the ensemble. We have a big ensemble, which (Rogerebert.com) is unique for me. And the scope of this—I felt ready for it. It felt With standing ovations at Venice, Telluride, and like a continuation of the work. Toronto, Tom McCarthy’s “Spotlight” instantly became one of At Telluride and Toronto, there were comparisons to the most talked about films of 2015. The true story of the Boston ‘70s procedurals and films like “All the President’s Men.” Globe investigation into sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, and Were there any conscious cinematic inspirations for the cover-up that allowed it to go on for decades, is a lean, tight “Spotlight”? procedural, a film that captures smart people doing important I think it’s cool about this movie that there is a work—a surprising rarity in modern cinema. Without melodrama procedural element to it. It’s sort of like an engine down there, or manipulation, McCarthy drives “Spotlight” forward, using his humming. That was a fun thing to lean on when we needed to. McCarthy: SPOTLIGHT—6

There’s both dramatic and thrilling elements, but it’s tough to There’s a cinematic element to it as well in that it pigeonhole it as one thing or another. Maybe “All the President’s gives the piece a textual rhythm almost. Like a beat. Men”—that’s a thriller. [Director Alan J. Pakula] built that thing Exactly. Speaking of that, it’s always a question of how like a lean, mean, paranoid thriller, and it operated so beautifully you make information like this cinematic. In talking to different in that way. We didn’t feel like that was our movie. It was a , some guys were just like, “I don’t know what movie we respect and appreciate. I’ve certainly said this before, to do.” Other people had an immediate sense of what they but ’s films had a major impact on me. All of his wanted to do. How do we crack this? That’s the exciting part of movies. He was so efficient with the camera. He really, really the process. I don’t have all the answers but how do we do it? trusted space and performance. He was great at blocking. He That’s the best part of the process. Two things. One, we have a took the moment to find what a scene was about. He told me that. lot of information—how do we present it? We started developing I remember I was having a our style—handheld, when we panic attack before “The Station wouldn’t. When do we lay Agent” and he said, “Look, if back? When do we push the you know what a scene is about, camera? What was interesting it will block itself. You’ll was that we didn’t know where KNOW where to put that we were going yet because we camera.” He was right. I always were staying true to this find that when I don’t know ensemble. We don’t know what what I’m doing with the reporters we’re going to be camera, it’s because I don’t following next. We’re hopping understand the scene. We around to different characters. haven’t been honest to the And that kind of energy between scene. them as a unit and as a team I’m not a director who creates its own sense of studies movies as I’m approaching my work. I kind of get a sense propulsion and style. Suddenly, walking into a library becomes of what’s inspiring me and then I leave it. I can’t watch movies interesting. I don’t know why. during production. I want to go where the script is leading me. Is a little bit of this something of a call to arms for To that end, we kind of took an inspiration from the work of the our journalistic industry, who has, in certain ways, let us reporters. We spent a lot of time around them. How the world down in the last decade or so? felt. How unadorned it was. What their lives are like. They’re I think so. But who’s at fault there? There are a lot of middle class folks getting up early and working really hard. And great journalists who have been laid off. Look, the reason the we just wanted to capture that in a way that didn’t feel Spotlight team could crack this is because they were so sensationalized or romanticized. We just wanted to present it. I supported. They had the time. They had the resources. There’s think that is, in many ways, driving us. Even our design and that one little bit when the reporter shows up from the Herald costumes—you don’t really notice it. You can tell they all have and sees the Spotlight team and asks why would they be here. It’s uniforms. I think that kind of spirit started to inform all levels of a non-event that some stringer should be covering. [Mark production. It started with the script and the connection that both Ruffalo's character] Mike had to be there because he was [co-writer Josh Singer] and I had with the reporters. following a lead. You need the support to do that. And you also You’re also jumping into the pool of “true story” need to be an insider in the community, which these people were. and the issues of “getting it right” and being true to the Advertisement people. I’m always fascinated by that line between reality and Today’s economy doesn’t allow for that. art. How do you balance that personally? Did you have No! And because of the changing times, there’s kind of moments where you thought, “he might not have said that in pushback against it. It’s just like in our industry. Get it done real life but it works for the film"? How do you make those faster. decisions? You talk about the nerves in prepping and how you We’re a little bit dictated just by the amount of enjoy that, but is there a different kind of nerve when you’re information in this film and how we’re presenting it. We found in working on an “important” true story about such a sensitive talking to the reporters that they’re constantly repeating subject? You don’t want to get this story “wrong." information to each other and sharing information with each I think you feel a greater sense of responsibility. I do other. They’re always looking for overlap or connection. That think the reporters are the heroes here. And we spent a lot of time kind of teamwork of journalists is what we found interesting and with them and have a great amount of respect and affection for compelling. It’s funny—we got into rehearsals and some of the them. And we sat with a lot of survivors and heard their stories. actors were like, “I’m repeating what he said six pages earlier." It’s an important issue and it needs to be dealt with before more Yes. Exactly. It’s going to pay off because they’re putting it lives are ruined. We felt like, “Wouldn’t it be great if this movie together. They’re feeling around in the dark and waiting for the works and actually has an impact and can get people talking?” light to turn on. I had to tell the actors to trust me, and even Talking about abuse. Any kind of abuse. And, also, as you though it feels expositional it’s more active than that—it’s part of mentioned, what is the state of journalism? What happened here a process. We’re not just doing it so the audience understands it, is great. We need more of that. We need reporters breaking down we’re doing it so these reporters connect the dots. If we do it the door on gun control or on government spending or on right, it will be compelling in its own way. McCarthy: SPOTLIGHT—7 political contributions. What’s the next great story that’s going to Read: 2002: Scores of priests involved in sex abuse cases have an impact? Read: More on the story behind the ‘Spotlight’ movie “All the President’s Men” inspired so many journalists. 4. A fascinating look inside the culture of the We have to inspire thinkers that can revolutionize the industry of priesthood, where there were long whispers about clergy journalism. No one’s cracked the code. We know new media suspected of abuse. isn’t just the answer. We need legacy media. But it can’t work. 5. An examination of the lawyers who for years No one is willing to pay for it. negotiated settlements that won some solace for clergy abuse Yeah. So, how do we combine it and figure it out on victims, but also kept the matter secret. local levels? I’d love to see a young person crack that code. 6. The demise of the tradition, deeply ingrained in “Here’s how we can do it—set it up as a non-profit and connect Boston culture, of deference to the church. it to a university in every city …” Whatever it is. What’s the 7. A critical turning point occurred in December 2002 answer there? There has to be one. We can’t do without. when 58 priests in the Boston Archdiocese signed a petition for My concern is that there’s a whole generation now Law to step down or be removed. that’s just not interested in getting into journalism. I half 8. Cardinal Bernard Law finally resigns and departs. wonder if the internet didn’t kill investigative journalism. I totally agree and I think there’s this misconception that “Catholic Archdiocese of Boston sex abuse scandal” there’s more information than ever and “citizen journalists.” (Wikipedia) That’s like saying “citizen director” or “citizen fireman.” It’s not The Catholic Archdiocese of Boston sex abuse the same. We need pros. Listen, I do a fair amount of these and scandal was part of a series of Catholic Church sexual abuse you know when you’re talking to a journalist—someone who cases in the that revealed widespread wrongdoing gets it and comes ready and has original questions and is pushing in the American Roman Catholic Church. In early you—and when you’re just talking to someone getting their 2002, The Boston Globe published results of an investigation that soundbites. It’s so fricking clear. And, look, as a guy who has to led to the criminal prosecutions of five Roman Catholic priests do way too many of these interviews, it’s really nice to sit with and thrust the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy into the someone who’s smart and have a conversation. national spotlight.[1][2][3] The Globe's coverage encouraged other victims to come forward with allegations of abuse, resulting in numerous lawsuits and more criminal cases. Subsequent investigations and allegations revealed a pattern of sexual abuse and cover-ups in a number of large dioceses across the United States. What had first appeared to be a few isolated cases of abuse became a nationwide scandal, then a global crisis, for the Roman Catholic Church. Ultimately, it became clear that priests and lay members of religious orders in the Catholic Church had sexually abused minors on a scale such that the accusations reached into the thousands over several decades. Although the majority of cases were reported to have occurred in the United States, victims have come forward in other nations such as Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. A major aggravating factor was the actions of Catholic bishops to keep these crimes secret and to reassign the “Key reports from Globe’s Spotlight team on Clergy sex accused to other parishes in positions where they had continued abuse (Boston Globe) unsupervised contact with youth, thus allowing the abusers to The Boston Globe’s 2001-2002 investigation into sexual continue their crimes. abuses by clergy in the Catholic Church resulted in more than 600 stories, with eight Globe reporters playing key roles. The Catholic Church sexual abuse cases (Wikipedia) first history-changing report was the work of Spotlight editor Cases of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests, nuns and Walter V. Robinson, and reporters Sacha Pfeiffer, Michael members of religious orders in the 20th and 21st centuries has Rezendes, and Matt Carroll. As the scope of the story widened, been widespread and has led to many allegations, investigations, four other reporters joined the effort: Stephen Kurkjian, Thomas trials and convictions, as well as revelations about decades of Farragher, Michael Paulson, and Kevin Cullen. attempts by the Church to cover up reported incidents. The Here is a sampling of their work: abused include boys and girls, some as young as 3 years old, with 1. This Globe column by Eileen McNamara got the the majority between the ages of 11 and 14. The accusations investigation rolling when new Globe editor Martin Baron read it began to receive isolated, sporadic publicity from the late 1980s. in July 2001 and asked the Spotlight Team to pursue a wider look Many of these involved cases in which a figure was accused of at abusive priests and what the church leadership knew. decades of abuse; such allegations were frequently made by 2. The story that changed everything: The Spotlight adults or older youths years after the abuse occurred. Cases have Team’s first major report, published Jan. 6, 2002. also been brought against members of the Catholic 3. A few weeks later, the Spotlight Team widened the horrifying picture to include scores of priests.

McCarthy: SPOTLIGHT—8 hierarchy who covered generally not up sex abuse allegations discussed, and thus is and moved abusive difficult to priests to other parishes, measure. Members of where abuse continued. the Church's By the 1990s, the cases hierarchy have began to receive argued that media significant media and coverage was public attention in some excessive and countries, especially disproportionate, and in Canada, the United that such abuse also States, Australia and, takes place in through a series of other and television documentaries institutions, a stance such as Suffer The that dismayed critics Children (UTV, who saw it as a 1994), Ireland. A critical investigation by The Boston Globe in device to avoid resolving the abuse problem within the Church. 2002 led to widespread media coverage of the issue in the United In a 2001 apology, John Paul II called sexual abuse within the States, later dramatized in Tom McCarthy's film Spotlight. Over Church "a profound contradiction of the teaching and witness of the last decade, widespread abuse has been exposed in Jesus Christ".Benedict XVI apologised, met with victims, and Europe, Australia, Chile, and the USA. spoke of his "shame" at the evil of abuse, calling for perpetrators From 2001 to 2010 the Holy See, the central governing body of to be brought to justice, and denouncing mishandling by church the Catholic Church, considered sex abuse allegations involving authorities. In 2018, Pope Francis began by accusing victims of about 3,000 priests dating back fifty years,[11] reflecting fabricating allegations, but by April was apologizing for his worldwide patterns of long-term abuse as well as the Church "tragic error" and by August was expressing "shame and sorrow" hierarchy's pattern of regularly covering up reports of for the tragic history, without, however, introducing concrete abuse. Diocesan officials and academics knowledgeable about measures either to prosecute abusers or to help victims. the Roman Catholic Church say that sexual abuse by clergy is

JUST ONE MORE IN THE FALL 2018 BUFFALO FILM SEMINARS SERIES 37:

DEC 4 , THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, 1975

SPRING 2019 BUFFALO FILM SEMINARS, SERIES 38 (PRELIMINARY LIST) JAN 29 Paul Fejös, Lonesome 1928 FEB 5 Frank Borsage, A Farewell to Arms 1932 Feb 12 Gregory La Cava, My Man Godfrey, 1936 Feb 19 John Huston, The African Queen 1951 Feb 26 Jean-Luc Godard, Breathless 1960 Mar 5 Luis Bunuel, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie 1962 Mar 12 , Dr. Zhivago 1965 Mar 26 Arturo Ripstein, Time to Die 1966 Apr 2 , Blow-Up 1966 Apr 9 , 1978 Apr 16 Monty Python, The Meaning of Life 1983 Apr 23 Stanley Kubrick, Eyes Wide Shut 1999 Apr 30 , Tree of Life, 2011 May 7 Alfonso Cuarón, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2004

CONTACTS:...email Diane Christian: [email protected]…email Bruce Jackson [email protected] the series schedule, annotations, links and updates: http://buffalofilmseminars.com...to subscribe to the weekly email informational notes, send an email to addto [email protected] cast and crew info on any film: http://imdb.com/ The Buffalo Film Seminars are presented by the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Dipson Amherst Theatre, with support from the Robert and Patricia Colby Foundation and the Buffalo News.