In the week when Hindus celebrate the holy festival of Diwali, this documentary tells the story of one of their faith's most sacred symbols - the swastika. For many, the swastika has become a symbol synonymous with the Nazis and fascism. But this film reveals the fascinating and complex history of an emblem that is, in fact, a religious symbol, with a sacred past. For the almost one billion Hindus around the world, the swastika lies at the heart of religious practices and beliefs, as an emblem of benevolence, luck and good fortune.
An exploration of America’s cultural divide ignited by the 2020 controversy surrounding the forcible toppling of Father Junipero Serra’s statues. Best-selling author Arthur Brooks examines the toxic polarization gripping the nation. Can we bridge this divide, or are we destined to repeat history?
A documentary based on the book Umbanda no Brasil by the scholar Mata e Silva, who is interviewed by the director. The book studies the Brazilian religion known as spiritism, a syncretism of African beliefs and magical rites, Indian beliefs and images, and Catholic symbols.
This documentary scrutinizes the Jehovah's Witnesses, and argues that the Watch Tower Society holds tyrannical control over the lives of its members.
Documentary film about Catholic Church teachings about homosexuality. Describes the "third way", the lifestyle lead by orthodox gay Catholics practicing celibacy out of personal choice, an often overlooked demographic in the debates about homosexuality in the Church.
In a darkened classroom, the white cracked walls serve as a movie screen. We are in a remote mountain village in Georgia. The light from the projector breaks the darkness: the children's first cinematic experience is about to begin. Among the kids are Iman and Eva, two Muslim girls, for whom the experience becomes a turning point and inspires them to pick up a camera and start filming their daily lives. The girls are growing up in a valley infested by radicalism, where most people live in constant fear that their relatives will sacrifice their lives in the name of God.
Documentary about three men from Kentucky who claim to have discovered an Old Testament relic for 69-cents at a Madison, Tennessee Goodwill superstore. The men believe that they have found the mysterious Urim and Thummim in the form of a stone cup that allows its users to communicate with God and see visions.
King of the Jews is a film about anti-Semitism and transcendence. Utilizing Hollywood movies, 1950's educational films, personal home movies and religious films, the filmmaker depicts his childhood fear of Jesus Christ. These childhood recollections are a point of departure for larger issues such as the roots of Christian anti-Semitism.
Exploration of prejudice and culture clash that a group of Laotian Buddhist refugees must endure in Rockford, Illinois.
On Valentine's Day, 1993, Caveh Zahedi decided to ingest 5 grams (a very large dose) of hallucinogenic mushrooms. For the first time in his mushroom-taking history, he had an experience of "divine possession," in which he felt that a divine being took possession of his body and spoke through him, in a voice that was not his, and with knowledge that he himself did not possess. He later tried several times to repeat the experience. I WAS POSSESSED BY GOD is the documentary record of one such attempt.
Ten years after establishing New Heights, the pastors, their families, and other influential members of the church sit down for roundtable discussions to look back on the past decade and forward toward their future plans for the congregation.
Documentary about terreiro women in Fortaleza who occupy the highest positions in the hierarchy, subverting the patriarchal tradition of religious communities.
This is a film about the power of the Rosary, a Catholic Prayer. The film depicts personal stories about how the rosary has affected their lives.
The movie Okht al-Reza (Reza's sister) narrates the journey of the Lady of Dignity, Hazrat Masoumeh PBUH from Madinah to Qom. While portraying the events of the Prophet's path, her time, Ma'mun's conspiracies and efforts for her martyrdom, the work tries to express a mystical narrative of the character of Hazrat Masoumeh. It deals with the story of this journey, and includes passages about the political and social atmosphere of the time, where the general atmosphere of the storytelling is somewhat close to the documentary.
Writing a letter to Paul B. Preciado, trans philosopher and filmmaker, as one would write to a friend. Undertake a healing process as a queer child growing up in a Spanish evangelical family. From Lausanne to New York, Lézio Schiffke-Rodriguez follows in the footsteps of revolutions that invite us to redefine our vision of binary bodies.
This historical documentary tells the story of Calvary Chapel and the Jesus Movement and traces its impact on Christianity including the birth of contemporary Christian music and worship as well as a more informal church atmosphere. Includes interviews with Chuck Smith, Franklin Graham, Tim LaHaye, and many others.
A documentary about the confluence of Christianity and mixed martial arts, including ministries which train fighters. The film follows several pastors and popular fighters in their quest to reconcile their faith with a sport that many consider violent and barbaric. Faith is tried and questions are raised. Can you really love your neighbor as yourself and then punch him in the face?
Viacrucis Migrante
A look at the Hutterites, an Anabaptist religious community similar to the Amish or the Mennonites in rural Alberta.
A fascinating new look at the biblical, historical, and scientific evidence for Creation and the Flood. Learn from more than a dozen scientists and scholars as they explore the world around us in light of Genesis. Dr. Del Tackett, creator of The Truth Project, hikes through canyons, climbs up mountains, and dives below the sea in an exploration of two competing views... one compelling truth.