'Spotlight' producer Michael Sugar stated he hoped the film's message would "resonate all the way to the Vatican" in his acceptance speech for the Best Picture prize at the Academy Awards.
Spotlight producers celebrating Oscars wins
Spotlight, which is a movie about the Boston Globe newspaper's investigation of the Massachusetts Catholic sex abuse scandal, took home the most prestigious prize on Sunday night (28.02.16) and Sugar used his time on stage to urge Pope Francis - the head of the Catholic Church - to deal with the issue of historic sex abuse.
After Morgan Freeman announced 'Spotlight' had beaten 'Brooklyn', 'Room', 'Bridge of Spies', 'The Big Short', The Revenant, 'The Martian' and 'Mad Max: Fury Road' to the accolade, Sugar said from the stage: "Thank you everybody ... Wow, this film gave a voice to survivors and this Oscar amplifies this voice which we hope will become a choir that will resonate all the way to the Vatican. Pope Francis it's time to protect the children and restore the faith. Thank you very much."
Sugar was joined on stage at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles by his co-producers Blye Pagon Faust, Steve Golin and Nicole Rocklin and the film's cast which includes Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Liev Schreiber.
Faust took the opportunity to praise the work of the real-life Boston Globe 'Spotlight' team and investigative journalists around the world for the work they do in uncovering wrongs.
She said: "We would not be here today without the heroic efforts of our reporters not only do they effect global change but they absolutely show us the necessity for investigative journalism."
Rocklin used her time at the podium to praise the cast of the movie, saying: "We'd love to thank our cast, if ever there was a perfectly calibrated ensemble you are it. Thank you so much."
As well as Best Picture, 'Spotlight' also won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay on Sunday night (28.02.16).
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