Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief

Director: Alex Gibney

Institute History

Description

Following Mea Maxima Culpa, his investigation into the Catholic Church, Academy Award-winner Alex Gibney turns his gaze to Scientology in Going Clear, based on the book of the same name by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright.

Gibney profiles eight former members of the Church of Scientology, whose most prominent adherents include A-list Hollywood celebrities, shining a light on how the church cultivates true believers, including their experiences and what they are willing to do in the name of religion. The film covers a broad range of material from the church's origins—punctuated by an intimate portrait of founder L. Ron Hubbard—to present-day practices and alleged abuses as reported in the media.

A true master of his craft, Gibney returns to the Sundance Film Festival for the tenth time with a film that no one is going to want to miss. Fearless and fascinating, this latest cinematic opus from the man Esquire dubbed "the most important documentarian of our time" is a powerful exploration of the psychological impact of blind faith—what Lawrence Wright calls the "prison of belief." —D.C.


— David Courier

Screening Details

Credits

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