Pictured Tony Comes in Twist of Faith.
Twist of Faith is the harrowing documentary of Tony Comes, a firefighter from Toledo struggling to overcome the sexual abuse he suffered at the hands of Dennis Gray, a Catholic priest, and the struggle to maintain his religious beliefs because of it. The film, which was an Academy Award nominee for Best Documentary earlier this year, has been showing all this month on HBO. It also plays a theatrical engagement at Facets beginning this Friday, July 29. It's a tough, unstinting look at this dreadful subject but thanks to the inner dignity of the brutually honest Comes ( and the restraint of director Kirby Dick ) , the film doesn't ratchet up the sensational aspects of its subject.
As the film begins it appears that Comes has it all—he's a handsome man with a pretty, supportive wife, two beautiful children, a good job. In short, the Good Life. But all hell breaks loose when he accidentally learns that the priest who he says abused him 20 years earlier moves in five houses down the block. Overnight, Comes, who had only shared his secret with his wife, decides to out himself as a victim of sexual abuse. His anger, apparently long buried, surfaces and soon his relationship with his wife, children and family members ( especially his mother ) begins to suffer.
There is a scene early in the film, soon after Comes learns about Gray living down the block, where he quietly approaches the house on a late winter night, under cover of darkness, video camera in hand. 'That's where the Devil lives' he says as we hear the wind howling and lights twinkling inside. As Comes becomes more angry, has more and more trouble dealing with the mixture of guilt and confusion, not to mention the denial and coverup from the Catholic church, it becomes apparent that at the end of the day, that he's truly alone, outside in his own dark night.
Even after going public with his story and meeting up with several of the priest's other abuse victims ( both straight and gay ) , Comes seems to be on his own, flailing about, trying desperately to hold on.
The documentary does a good job of balancing Comes' mixed emotions—including his continued challenge to stay with the church that has turned its back on him. This reminded me of the excellent Tying the Knot documentary, in which a gay couple is determined to marry within the Catholic church despite its stated policy of intolerance for gays and lesbians. At the height of his anger and public awareness of his accusations, Comes is still there for his young daughter's communion, following the ancient Catholic rituals.
Even more moving are the complex emotions that arise watching Comes as he struggles with the alternate revulsion/stimulation of the abuse. In graphic terms he describes the residual guilt he still experiences from the illicit sexual encounters. And though Comes is straight and clearly not homophobic, he's also honest enough to recall the physical pleasure of the abuse. This is the first time I can recall this aspect of abuse being so openly discussed.
Periodically throughout the film a videotape deposition of Gray, now an ex-priest ( having left the priesthood to marry! ) is shown and his bland answers to the inflammatory questions contrast with the continued emotional outbursts of Comes who, having let the secret out, can't seem to move forward with his life.
Earlier this summer director Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin took the horrors of two young men scarred by child abuse and somehow, miraculously made art out of their terrible experience. But Twist of Faith doesn't have the luxury of fiction. There's no haunting Harold Budd-Robin Guthrie soundtrack, no eerily beautiful cinematography, expertly crafted performances or perfectly written last scene. As Twist of Faith so vividly reveals, there is no end to the abuse. Ever.
See www.facets.org/cinematheque.
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Summer Film Fests:
— Indiefest 2005 opens this Friday, the 29th ( runs through Aug. 7 ) with the world premiere of Blood Deep, a thriller that stars Joran Belfi from the current HBO hit show Entourage. Belfi and director Todd Kniss will attend the fest. Two other highlights of the week-long event, which includes more than 50 independent films ( 17 of which are world premieres ) , include the documentary Punk: Attitude, and Catching Kringle ( an animated short film starring Danny DeVito and John Rhys-Davies ) . Festival screenings will take place at Landmark Century Cinema ( 2828 N. Clark St. ) and an industry networking event, called The Market, is scheduled to happen Aug. 6-7 at Le Meridien Chicago ( 521 N. Rush St. ) . Complete screening and event schedule at www.indiefestchicago.com .
— Food and Film on the Rooftop, a series of outdoor screenings of food related movies with matching menus, kicks off Thursday, Aug. 4 with the terrific, funny-sad story of two Italian immigrant brothers ( Stanley Tucci who co-wrote and co-directed and Tony Shalhoub ) trying to save their restaurant by having just one Big Night. The other four films in the series, shown on subsequent Thursday nights through Sept. 1, are A Feast at Midnight, Mostly Martha, Pieces of April, and ( lesbian alert! ) Fried Green Tomatoes. The event, sponsored by the Chicago Cultural Center, features an al fresco, picnic style meal ( provided in the cost of the $15 dollar admission ) by gourmet market Fox & Obel and the movies will be screened on the third floor, rooftop garden of Gallery 37 ( 66 E. Randolph ) . Limited space is available and reservations are required. Contact ( 312 ) 944-744-9350 or www.877chicago.com .
— The Puerto Rican Film Series 2005 which has been going strong with outdoor screenings at the gorgeous Humboldt Park, continues on Saturday, Aug. 4th with Encajando en el Mundillo ( Weavings One Way Into the World ) , a documentary detailing the creation of the lace ( 'mundillo' ) curtain ( the largest lace work in the world ) for Puerto Rico's Museum of Art. A second film, Las Caras Lindas de ( the Lovely Faces of ) Tite Curet Alonso documents the life and musical production of tropical music composer, Tite Curet Alonso. Both films are subtitled and will be screened outside the beautifully restored Humboldt Park Boat House at 1440 N. Sacramento Blvd.
Visitors are invited to bring blankets, folding chairs and picnic items for the free 8 p.m. screening. As a nearby resident of the park, I'd suggest arriving early to explore the myriad wonders of one of the city's hidden treasures. Presented by the Institute of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture.
