Religion can be complicated. Religion can be a source of comfort, context, and community—but it can also be the cause of immense pain, especially when belief becomes a form of control. This is why religious trauma movies resonate so deeply. They’re more than questioning faith—they’re the collision of faith, fear, guilt, shame, and power. Whether it’s been your personal experience or if you’re simply someone who appreciates boldly written stories, these movies call out the toughest truths. Here are the ten most unforgettable movies on the topic of religious trauma, ending with the one that has the most impact.
10. Silence
Silence, Martin Scorsese’s latest work, is a taxing, brutal exploration of the strength of faith under duress. The movie, set in 17th-century Japan, chronicles a Jesuit priest who observes gruesome violence against persecuted Catholics. The faith portrayed in this movie is not comforting; it’s torturous.
9. Spotlight
Spotlight showcases the chilling investigation of the Boston Globe regarding widespread abuse within the Catholic Church. Spotlight is not just an alarming but also a consequential drama. Spotlight explores the consequences of abuse and the systems that protected those abusers. There is an ominous ending when one looks at the consequences of abuse on those who have suffered throughout their entire life.
8. The Magdalene Sisters
The Magdalene Sisters is based on real life and depicts immoral women being locked into Magdalene laundries by religious authorities, who then exploited these women. The level of oppression in this movie illustrates that morality through shame can be a prison with no escape.
7. Boy Erased
Boy Erased explores the brutality of conversion therapy through the journey of a boy being converted through an experience meant to erase his identity. Watching love distorted through belief is quite painful, as seen through the depiction of the love of parents who believe is helping rather than hurting through the experience they are causing.
6. 1946
This documentary explores how a single error in the Bible contributed to generations of anti-LGBTQ+ theology. From tracing the disputed term queer to its appearance in the Bible in 1946, it explores how language tragically interacted with power and faith.
5. Jesus Camp
Few documentaries are as disturbing as Jesus Camp. In this film, children at an evangelical summer camp are tracked as they absorb the ideology of both the religious and political beliefs of the camp, leading to a frightening portent into the way in which the young can become indoctrinated before they are old enough to make their own decisions.
4. The Crucible
The Crucible is based on the play of the same name by Arthur Miller, which is also about the Salem witch trials. The Crucible tells the story of how accusations were used as weapons, when belief trumped reason, and innocents were the victims. It successfully depicts how Faith bred by Fear is always Fatal.
3. Philomena
There’s more heart and more humor in Philomena, although it never loses sight of the pain inflicted through religious stigma, adoption, or clever psychological trickery. It’s more than just an examination of loss: It’s also about survival.
2. Saint Maud
Saint Maud is an exploration of the psychic horrors of religiosity. What may be loosely described as an arthouse film examines the isolation of an earnest nurse convinced she is on some sort of holy mission. It is an intensive, chilling, and unforgettable cinematic experience.
1. Women Talking
At the top of it, of course, is Women Talking, an extraordinary account of women reclaiming power in the face of oppression in an ultra-religious community. Instead of looking at violence, this movie looks at healing, choice, and self-determination. It’s about trauma, but it’s about hope as well.
Religion can inspire and wound. These movies not only criticize religious faith but also allow a voice to be heard that suffered from religious faith. If you are prepared to hear challenging and disturbing but ultimately resonant tales, this list is a great place to begin.