de facto film reviews 3.5 stars

As a trigger warning, this review will cover a documentary purely focused on sexual abuse and assault.

Procession, a documentary following a small group of sexual abuse survivors by their own catholic priests, looking to face their nightmares by writing scenes reenacting their worst days. These survivors aim to take away the power of their abusers while also seeking justice. It’s a tragic documentary directed by Robert Greene and distributed by Netflix, featuring the overlooked problem and evil events that transpire behind the scenes of some churches. And as uncomfortable as the documentary is, it’s a refreshing execution by including the scenes written by the survivors and them acting in their own scenes. A truly powerful story by each individual displaying the raw and natural emotions from each person in the film. This documentary has taken years to complete, and the efforts do not go unnoticed. It is an almost 2-hour documentary revealing the horrors hidden behind the Catholic council and those who seek to deny allegations.

As tough as the film is to watch, to see 6 men attempt to conquer the evil surrounding them is astoundingly inspiring. This fantastic piece of work by Robert Greene is handled tastefully, allowing the topic of abuse to breathe and using excellent pacing to help grant a steadier execution. But to endure the excruciating topic is quite the challenge, you’re bound to feel uncomfortable throughout most of the runtime. But these men push through their trauma, seeking to grab hold of the power that has been pushing them back by using drama therapy is beyond impressive. It is an observational project that took years to complete, but without the exceptional editing, some of the material as well as some key moments might have been scrapped or chopped up. A documentary, especially one revolving around a topic so touchy, deserves the right editors to complete such a job and it’s done masterfully. At no point is there a feeling that something is missing, we’re given exactly what is needed and at the right pace.

Procession movie review & film summary (2021) | Roger Ebert

As the film progresses, we begin to learn that these survivors will be writing a scene depicting the very moments of their life that would alter them forever. And once they write their scenes, they would then shoot the scene like a film and have each survivor act in their own scene. At first, the method of drama therapy sounds questionable but how Greene carries out the idea is more eccentric and original. And after watching the final product of these scenes, you’ll begin to see the impact of the method and quickly feel a sense of hope but in a poignant manner. The film pushes a strong message, while at the same time exhibiting technical elements deserving of recognition. Greene develops an engaging story with the help of the cast, attempting to evoke to the audience the intense emotions felt by those involved. And with the lack of talking heads, the documentary feels more like a first-person encounter, heightening the pure story fascination. 

Influencers: Netflix Procession director Robert Green's Team | IndieWire

Procession is not a story to frighten audiences of the darkness in the world but to instead push through and conquer the wretched evil revolving around every day. The grand directing and editing make for a tasteful addition to the art of documentaries and the overall message is handled admirably. Greene creates a documentary lacking invasiveness to instead promote strength, so with the exceptional techniques and elements distributed throughout the film, you’re given a rollercoaster of a film capturing the raw sensation the survivors endure day by day. This may be one of this year’s best documentaries and a notable token of appreciation to those fighting as a daily task.