Film

PREY

*2019 Winner of the LiUNA People’s Choice Award

Winner of the audience award and a special jury prize at the Hot Docs Documentary Festival, Prey, directed by Windsor’s Matt Gallagher, tells the story of a sexual abuse survivor’s court battle with the Catholic Church.

Widespread sexual abuse within the Catholic Church has traumatized thousands. Many have come forward to speak publicly, while others have been silenced through settlements. Father Hod Marshall, a Basilian priest and teacher in Windsor, Toronto and Sudbury, pled guilty to 17 sexual assault charges. One of his victims, Rod MacLeod, seeking closure for this traumatic part of his childhood, filed suit against the Basilian Fathers of Toronto for its role in enabling Marshall’s depravity. As the case moves through the courts—led by lawyer Rob Talach—the silence the Catholic Church fought to maintain is broken. Also featured in the film is Windsorite Patrick McMahon who also fell victim to Marshall as a boy and has been speaking out in an effort to hold those within the church accountable.