The first trailer released Wednesday for the film "Spotlight," which follows the Boston Globe's investigation into clergy sexual abuse in the Boston archdiocese in the early 2000s.
The investigation began in 2001 and published its first stories in January 2002. The reports ultimately led to the resignation of Cardinal Bernard Law in December of that year.
In addition, it also spurred a national review of the church's policy regarding sexual abuse by clergy, and at their June 2002 meeting, the bishops approved the “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People," or Dallas Charter, and formed the National Review Board to report on dioceses' implementation of the charter and to study the sex abuse issue in the Catholic church. The investigation won the newspaper the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.
The drama from Open Roads Films is directed and co-written by Tom McCarthy and features several notable actors and actresses: Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Stanely Tucci and John Slattery.
According to Variety, the film will debut premiere at the Venice Film Festival, which runs Sept. 2-12, and will also screen at the Toronto Film Festival later that month. It is set for a limited U.S. release Nov. 6, followed by a nationwide release Nov. 20.
[Brian Roewe is an NCR staff writer. Follow him on Twitter: @BrianRoewe.]
