'Spotlight' Journalists Celebrate Best Picture Oscar Win

BOSTON (CBS) -- After 'Spotlight' won Best Picture at the 88th Academy Awards Sunday night, the real-life Boston Globe journalists whose work the movie is based on celebrated the win.

The film tells the story of the Boston Globe Spotlight team's investigation into sexual abuse in the Catholic church.

When 'Spotlight' was released, Reporter Mike Rezendes, portrayed in the film by actor Mark Ruffalo, told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Mary Blake about the movie's importance.

"I hope it inspires another generation of young reporters who do want to hold powerful institutions and individuals accountable for what they do," said Rezendes.

When the film was nominated, Walter V. Robinson, the editor played in the film by Michael Keaton, told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 that those six nominations were important for several reasons.

"They picked 'Spotlight' because, I think, I hope, they recognize the importance of investigative journalism, and the importance of that kind of journalism in holding public officials and institutions accountable," said Robinson. "And also I see it as a recognition of the courage of the thousands, literally thousands of survivors of clergy sexual abuse, without whose help and assistance the film and the stories that we did back in 2002 would not have been possible."

Several of the journalists and editors portrayed in the film were at the Oscars--including Robinson, Rezendes, Matt Carroll, and Sacha Pfeiffer--and were reunited with the actors who portrayed them.

'Spotlight' also won for Best Original Screenplay.

The film was nominated for six Academy Awards.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports

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• Academy Awards