Panaji, Nov 7 (UNI) Goa-based Savio Rodrigues owned Arihan Pictures in collaboration with South Indian filmmaker R Joseph Kennedy start pre-production work on their ambitious project ‘Hail Mary’.

‘Hail Mary’ is scheduled to have a global release in 2019. Being tight lipped on the film project, Savio Rodrigues, revealed, “With Hail Mary particularly we never came up with the idea, the idea kind of found us by divine providence. We believe some stories need to be told because it is in accepting the truth that true enlightenment is experienced.”

“The project is based on real stories of abuse, pain and betrayal but more importantly about the power of faith in one’s belief in God. It is a film about survivors in India. Sexual abuse within the Catholic Church is real,” Mr Rodrigues said.

Kennedy, who has worked with the acclaimed filmmaker Padma Shri Santosh Sivan, has also directed the international documentary drama ‘Men in White’ - a delicate, absorbing and insightful post-war production; crafted closely from the civil war affected areas in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.

On the project Kennedy said, “This is not a commercial film, neither is this an art film. It is a film about the truth. We want our film to be the voice of the survivors. We have a responsibility to the women who have dedicated their life to service in their love for their faith.”

‘Hail Mary’ is coming at a time when the Catholic Church globally is facing a sexual abuse crisis.

India too has over the last couple of months seen a #ChurchToo crisis of sexual abuse with accusations levelled on priests and Bishops by women including religious sisters of the Catholic Church.

UNI AKM 1306