Hand of God is a unique and provocative look at Catholic clergy abuse, told from the personal point of view of a survivor, his brother (the film's director) and their family.The documentary burrows into hiding spots where comfort was found, trust was built and vulnerability created.
This is a poetic look into one man's journey from potential priest to scathing critic. It is about family and community - and how intimate family life is also filled with silences.
The storyline begins in Salem Massachusetts in the 1950's. The abuse occurs in 1964 but is not revealed until some 30 years later when Paul Cultrera encounters the Archdiocese of Boston.
His brother, director Joe Cultrera, narrates from the perspective of a young person unconsciously recording.
As the years pass the director becomes an active participant. He assists his brother's investigations and the documentary itself creates a dialogue within the family. During this process the Archdiocese closes the family's neighborhood church.
The director and his father find themselves in heated encounters with the clergy. They begin to question their own holy ghosts.
This is an engaging portrait of one family's attempt to regain its footing above a crumbling corporate belief system.
Trailer
Interview w/ Paul & Joe Cultrera (requires Real Player)
Hand of God blog
Order a Copy of Hand of God
Having watched the trailer, listened to the Cultrera brothers in the interview linked above, and read the reviews and newspaper articles, so much of what I have listened to about Bockus from the Victims is paralleled in Paul's story.
The one thing that keeps ringing in my ears was their power of position over children, endoctrined from the cradle, that this priest, like Bockus, used to sexually exploit innocent kids.
Sure makes the "Hand of God" a perfect title for their documentary!
I'll add the order info in the right hand column for easy retrieval if you wish to order at a later date from Zingerplatz Pictures.
