WASHINGTON
HeraldNet
Blye Pagon Faust, a 1993 graduate of Monroe High School, was a producer on this year’s Oscar-winning film “Spotlight,” the story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese. In addition to best picture, “Spotlight” took home the Oscar for best original screenplay. Faust, 40, took time this past week to talk with The Herald about the movie and her life. More about “Spotlight” is at spotlightthefilm.com.
What do you remember about the moment at the Academy Awards when you heard Morgan Freeman read the name of your film as the best picture winner?
To be honest, it’s a bit of a blur, but I do remember just feeling an enormous surge of excitement, not only for our entire team, but for all our journalists and the survivors (of pedophilia), knowing that this would be further validation for all their work and efforts to be heard over the years.
Here’s what you said that night: “We would not be here today without the heroic efforts of our reporters. Not only do they affect global change but they show us the absolute necessity for investigative journalism.” How has this story changed your life?
When we were growing up, my parents subscribed to the Everett Herald, the Monroe Monitor and the Seattle Times, so I had always appreciated newspapers. After we made the movie, we knew absolutely how essential investigative units are, but I also realized just how crippled many newspapers had become. I joined the board of the Center for Investigative Reporting because I really believe in investigative journalism and I know it’s tough out there for newspaper reporters. The work the Boston Globe did had global ramifications. They won a Pulitzer prize. What if those reporters hadn’t had the six months it took to do all that research?
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