Debbie Padilla, Though itâs not technically about a cult, Witches explores what happens to a group of people when their new ideals override their shared humanity. Documentary, Short, Crime, Life After Manson is an intimate portrait of one of the world's most infamous crimes and notorious killers. This list of fictional and real-life accounts of cult activity are a great way to get a glimpse inside—from a safe distance. Email Subscribe. Bruce Davis, Maria Demopoulos, Star: Helen Mirren, Robert Hendrickson Janet Shular, | Kevin Black, I Escaped a Cult talks to survivors of a polygamist breakaway Mormon sect (Warren Jeffs's FLDS) and a fundamentalist Christian community (Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps).... See full summary », Director: A documentary looking at the inner-workings of the Church of Scientology. David Miscavige, TV-14 Louis Theroux documents his investigation into what goes on behind the scenes of the infamous Church of Scientology. Paul Haggis, Paz de la Huerta, Votes: Stephan Jones, Refine See titles to watch instantly, titles you haven't rated, etc Instant Watch Options Jones is said to have established the People’s Temple in Indianapolis in the 1950s. Stars: Sung Yun Cho, Netflix released a new documentary on the secretive religious group ‘The Family.’ Despite its flaws, it’s a must see. Fred Phelps, the Westboro Baptist Church, those who oppose it, and those who chose to leave it all behind. Claire Headley, Not Rated Nick Cave, 47 min | | 90 min Director: Alex Gibney However, if youâre feeling curious about how religious people cope with sexual urges, and their intense drive for intimacy, The Lost Key is a fascinating look into one manâs life. Theyâre also often led by a charismatic and infallible leader. Nadine Mundo Bruce Barlow, In a short time, ... See full summary », Director: Documentary, History, Mystery, February 4, 1974, Patty Hearst, granddaughter of William Randolph Heart, was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA), who first demanded a prisoner swap for Hearst, then, as it ... See full summary », Director: A family describes their time within a religious cult, one that perpetuated pedophilia, sexual abuse, and prostitution. Rebecca Moore, British filmmaker Louis Theroux tries his best to crack the protective shell of Scientology followers, but the cultâs hold on them is so intense that Theroux eventually fails. Robert Stone 100 min Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults is a four-part documentary series about the strange UFO-based religious movement that led to a tragic mass suicide.The series talks with former members and loved ones and includes never-before-seen footage and first-person accounts. Timothy Findley, Deborah Melz, 165 min Leah Remini, We also investigate various religious sects, including an Indian cult that worships their leader as a god and Dukhobors in Georgia living much like their ancestors did centuries ago. Religious Cult Documentaries. Jason Beghe, Documentary, The film examines the modern-day phenomenon of religious "intentional communities," or as they are often called, "cults." Whether it bases the collective ideology on religion or a more secular and idealistic lifestyle, cults are generally marked by a distaste for critical thinking among followers. 119 min More so than any other series on the list, watching this will leave you shocked that you hadnât heard this nutso story before. John Dower In the spring of 1947, hidden amidst the desert wasteland that is now known as the West Bank, three shepherds happened upon a series of ancient scrolls. Dan Gifford, A reassessment of the tragedy at Waco that left 76 members of the Branch Davidian religious sect dead. Stars: Often, the rise of strict religions comes with a body count. Howard Smith Stars: Director: Has a number of insightful interviews with many family members most notably Squeaky and Sandy (Blue and Red). | Raymund Melz, When 22-year-old Will Allen was kicked out of his house for being gay, he found solace temporarily in the Buddhafield cult. | Miriam Padilla, TV-MA Stars: | | Tim Reiterman, TV-14 | It’s set up in the woods or on an island or somewhere else that’s hard to reach. | Etty was forced into marrying her abuser at 19 and bore 7 children while waiting on him hand and foot. Elena Michaels, 63 min Buddhafield was (and technically still is, since the active members moved to Hawaii) a cult that shirks that stereotype. A first-person account of growing up in an evangelical Christian cult. Article now available on Filmhounds on the link below: Documentaries To Watch If You’re Interested In… Cults Star: Osho, Director: Documentary, Music. Anne Hamilton-Byrne, Not Rated Rosie Jones Documentary. Stanley Clayton, 85 min | Tyler Measom, | From the filmmakers behind Jesus Camp (unfortunately not available on Netflix anymore), One of Us examines religious faith and orthodoxy with an impressively delicate touch. 9 Best Serial Killer Documentaries on Netflix Right Now, Ranked. Star: Related to Documentaries About Cults – Wild Wild Country (2018) – A Grimly Fascinating Journey into a Utopian Religious Community Also Read: ‘My Life in the Orange: Growing Up with the Guru’ (by Tim Guest) When Osho, the world's most controversial guru, builds an Utopian city deep in the Oregon country, conflict with the locals escalates into a national scandal. Joaquin Sullivan, Updated on November 19th, 2020 by Christopher Fain: Following the end of the acclaimed A&E series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, audiences around the world find themselves more … Jennilyn Merten Daniel Garcia, Witch trials are a common subject in creepy pop culture, but Witches: A Century of Murder makes the subject feel freshly disturbing, by setting it outside the American colonies and in rural Britain. Evangeline Griego Joseph Penno, PG13 | Journalist Elizabeth Vargas, alongside former members of controversial organizations, goes on a search to uncover how these sects use their influence to prey upon people's desperation to create powerful and often destructive belief systems. Tell us what you think about this feature. NXIVM, a so-called "sex cult" disguised as a "self-empowerment group," has been in the news for years. Stars: Michael Travesser, Not Rated Amy Berg Marjoe Gortner, Maura Schmierer, Not Rated Deloy Bateman, Aum Shinrikyo, the Buddhist sect led by Shoko Asahara and responsible for the 1995 Sarin gas attack on a Tokyo subway, becomes the subject of this documentary. Biography, Drama. Vincent Bugliosi, | You May Also Like: 9 Best Serial Killer Documentaries on Netflix Right Now, Ranked. Stars: | 100 min | Gross: He had become a paranoid drug addict; and the documentary displays all footages and facts on how he led over 900 members of his religious cult group to a settlement in Guyana called Jonestown, where he masterminded a mass suicide in November 1978. Mike Papantonio, Cult leader Jim Jones leads his followers to a mass-suicide. Weâve compiled a list of the best (and most disturbing) docs available to stream on Netflix right now because cults are fascinating. “Wild Wild Country” is earning strong buzz on Netflix for investigating the rise and fall of a spiritual cult that made headlines in Oregon throughout the 1980s. Spanky Taylor, | Documentary, Award winning filmmaker, Ondi Timoner, follows four families as they leave an abusive church in South Carolina and realize they have been in a cult. Watch thousands of free documentaries online, spanning across all genres. Browse List Top 100. Nothing in this Oscar-winning docuseries, executive produced by the Duplass brothers, is exactly what it seems. The Lost Key delves into sexuality in Judaism and Kabbalah, which most of us remember as âthe Judaism-adjacent sect that absorbed Madonnaâ. Sandra Good, R Documentary. Search. Featuring never-before-seen footage, this documentary delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple, headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass suicide via tainted punch. However, a stranger and more personal-feeling documentary is available to stream. Tom Cruise, | Religion Sort by: The Dead Sea Scrolls. Cults have made headlines around the world for many years and continue to fascinate in documentaries and popular podcasts. $0.90M, 73 min In 1981, the followers of Indian spiritual guru—and alleged “sex cult” leader—Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh purchased a 64,000 acre ranch in the middle of Oregon. But where does one start? Stars: Elaine Anderson, Director: The brutal murders of starlet Sharon Tate and her friends shocked the world, and when the Manson Family murderers ... See full summary », Director: | An exclusive interview with Manson Family member Patricia Krenwinkel reveals an ... See full summary », Director: Religion documentaries are always fascinating, especially in a world where there are just so many! 75 min Mary Brunner, For those who foster a curiosity about these groups, here are 10 documentaries — including HBO's recent docuseries The Vow — that get to the bottom of life inside a cult. What to Watch if You’re Cult-Curious More specifically, films and documentaries that delve into the covert world of cults and fringe religious sects scratch that itch particularly well. Documentary. Irene Cara, 70 min Tatsuya Mori Ondi Timoner | Charles Manson, Mia Donovan | | Gross: There is also a history of Manson... See full summary », Directors: | Stars: Sarah Kernochan, | The documentary is one of many titles in the fascinating subgenre of controversial religious documentaries. Nadine Mundo, Not Rated | Charles Manson, Hiroshi Araki, Not Rated Bobby Beausoleil, Robert Hendrickson, The word ‘cult’ can be taken in many different ways, so these films are about different religious groups that have strayed from the ‘norms of society’, with leaders that have inflicted abuse, discomfort and/or unease on their members. Warren Carter, Deprogrammed chronicles Ted 'Black Lightning' Patrick's rise as the notorious 'Father of Deprogramming'. | | Warren Jeffs, Ce film peut ne pas convenir à tous les publics. Sure, cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh is interesting, but his second-in-command takes center stage after a while. | Lou Engle, Jordan Fraser-Trumble, Rabbi Manis Friedman and Adler himself are flawed individuals, and reviews of the documentary called them both somewhat self-involved and prone to navel-gazing. 192 min 89 min Noah Thomson, TV-MA Balavanta Das, | Hridayananda Das Goswami, Directors: Michelle Benward, Marty Rathbun, Rena Mundo Croshere, | This 2017 docuseries leaves viewers grasping at straws for a possible solution to Sister Cesnikâs murder, which remains unsolved. Nikolas Schreck How far would you go to feel like you belong? A series featuring stories from former members of the Church of Scientology whose lives have been affected by the Church's alleged harmful practices. Jeff Gannon, Not Rated Documentary, Michael Travesser says he's the Messiah and that God has told him the world will end with an apocalyptic event at midnight on 31 October 2007. | Bruce Davis, John Smithson The Catholic Church covering up cases of pedophilia in its leadership is such a well-publicized horror story that itâs difficult to imagine a time when people didnât make pedo-priest jokes. From documentaries to psychological thrillers, each of these films also focuses on individuals who have brushes with the darkness and charisma of cults. RAJNEESH MOVEMENT, “WILD WILD COUNTRY” Netflix’s six-part series chronicles the rise and fall… | There are many films about or concerning religious cults, their leaders and more often than not – their demise as a group. Documentary, History. Lex de Man, | | It takes as its focus "The Church," also known as "The Brotherhood,... See full summary », Director: | | 48 min Rachel Grady Louis Theroux, William Gazecki | | Jodi Wille Leslie Van Houten, Not Rated 1,474 Ted Patrick, TV-14 Director: The documentary is one of many titles in the fascinating subgenre of controversial religious documentaries. Marcy, TV-G Don Bolles, Documentary. Documentary, Crime. Jane Stork, PG-13 October 2020. | Jack Harwell, Documentary, The events of the night of August 9th, 1969 changed the face of the '60s. Stars: | Ma Anand Sheela, Ari, a struggling cocaine addict, was assaulted as child and watched as his religious community covered up the attack. | Sandra Good, Stars: Director: Peter Bate As leader of a cult in a remote corner of New ... See full summary », Director: William A. Graham Sharmagne Leland-St. John, TV-PG While many cult documentaries focus on the nefarious leaders who indoctrinate their followers, Deprogrammed explains the real toll that cult membership takes on members and their families. 85 min 25 min Becky Fischer, ** This film may not be suitable for all viewers; parental guidance is advised. From there, cults, both secular and religious, get creative. Documentary, Biography, Crime, For forty years, Charles Manson has survived most of his life in what he calls 'the hallways of the all ways,' the reform schools, jails and prisons that have been his home and tomb. The film documents them as they enter ... See full summary », Director: In 2009, Ray ended a meditation retreat by asking his followers to shave their heads and fast without food or water for days in the desert. In the case of Sister Catherine Anne âCathyâ Cesnik, itâs believed that she was murdered for speaking up against abusive priests. | This series is actually the story of two very unlike communities — the people of Rajneeshpuram and Wasco County, Ore… | | | Philip Toelkes, | Samuel Stefan, See titles to watch instantly, titles you haven't rated, etc, Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple, Charles Manson: The Man Who Killed the Sixties, Going Clear: Scientology & the Prison of Belief, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath. Documentary, Biography, Part documentary, part expose, this film follows one-time child evangelist Marjoe Gortner on the "church tent" Revivalist circuit, commenting on the showmanship of Evangelism and "the ... See full summary », Directors: | His ... See full summary », Director: Directors: | 4. Samuel Stefan, Veronica Cartwright, 86 min Director: Documentary. Tim Wolochatiuk Documentary. Documentary. 99 min | | Whatâs less often discussed is the way women in the church respond to allegations of sexual assault â some investigate tirelessly, a quest immortalized by Meryl Streep in Doubt, but others choose to act complicitly. By the time the sun went down on the cult retreatâs finale, followers were screaming for help and hallucinating. 12,018 Stars: Robert ... See full summary », Director: Joey Thomson, Charles Manson, Sally Howell From Catholicism and Judaism to Mormonism and Scientology, this list of the best religion documentaries features unique perspectives into some of the … 71 min | Stars: TV-MA Browse, watch and discuss documentaries filed under Religion. Documentaries on religion, religious traditionalism, religious cults, spiritual awakening, hallucinative plants, and atheism. “Wild Wild Country” is earning strong buzz on Netflix for investigating the rise and fall of a spiritual cult that made headlines in Oregon throughout the 1980s. Vote up your favorite cult documentaries below or add one that you found interesting that isn't already on the list. There are many reasons a New Yorker might leave the Hasidic community: they might want to go to college, or they discover theyâre gay. | James N. Mason, PG-13 Directors: David Berg, Stars: Bruce Davis, Cults encourage their members to drop out of society completely, to cut off ties with loved ones and change their personality traits and habits. Documentary. | "Wild Wild Country" is earning strong buzz on Netflix, and it's one of several religious cult documentaries you can watch right now. Bill Bunten, Russ Little, Youâd be forgiven for watching only the first episode of Wild, Wild Country and assuming the whole show is about a sex-crazed hippie commune inspired by Eastern religions, but things get more complicated quickly. Heidi Ewing, A documentary on kids who attend a summer camp hoping to become the next Billy Graham. Patricia Krenwinkel, | This article, originally published on August 22, 2017, has been updated. This series is actually the story of two very unlike communities â the people of Rajneeshpuram and Wasco County, Oregon â as they rub up against each other on barren American land. Noah Thomson James Buddy Day Indian-American-Swiss co-cultist Ma Anand Sheela proves to be a more formidable power in the cult over time, and she was instrumental to the 1984 Rajneeshee bioterror attack. Vernon Gosney, Stars: Ted Biggs, The stories of Ari and Etty, two of the three characters of focus in 2017âs docu-drama, are perhaps a little darker and more disturbing than those told by average ex-communicated Hasidim. Mary Brunner, To see what we mean, take a gander at the documentaries and docu-series below. | Anita Hoffman, TV-14 A charismatic leader founds a commune in Los Angeles in the early '70s based on natural food, spiritual practices and psychedelic rock. | | | | Cult documentaries are all the rage. Nikolas Schreck, Clive Doyle, | | Stars: 98 min | K. Ryan Jones Saved by Worklizard. | Nothing in this Oscar-winning docuseries, executive produced by the Duplass brothers, is exactly what it seems. His followers had each paid $10,000 to attend. 2019, Religion. Once you exit a cult, how do you regain your independence and sense of self? Documentary, Biography, Drama. Rena Mundo Croshere, 90 min 26,349 The documentary was detested by the victimsâ families because it showed Ray in his own dark moments, but itâs worth watching just to experience how far astray people can be led when the man leading them is likable. No, HBOâs incredible Scientology documentary, Going Clear, is not available on Netflix. 100 min Stars: 88 min Enlighten Us doesnât just tell the story of that fateful night; it dramatizes it and then illustrates where James Arthur Ray is now. Director: The documentary is one of many titles in the fascinating subgenre of controversial religious documentaries. | Stars: Lynette Fromme, | A free selection of #documentaries focused on religious #cults. Stars: 87 min Tim Carter, Ben Anthony 403 min | Gross: An inside look at former FLDS teens who have become religious refugees in mainstream America. 98 min In the case of Puritan Christianity in Britain, women were tortured and killed under the suspicion that they were witches, possessed, or were otherwise communing with the occult. Reliving the drama that unfolded decades ago in a small Oregon town, Wild Wild Country manages to tell both sides of the story in … Stars: The movie centers around Ted "Black Lightning" Patrick, a man who went on an anti-cult campaign in the 1970s that often involved illegal tactics. Zeena Schreck, Director: Director: You’d be forgiven for watching only the first episode of Wild, Wild Countryand assuming the whole show is about a sex-crazed hippie commune inspired by Eastern religions, but things get more complicated quickly. | Stars: Documentary, In 1970, 1,500 hippies and their guru Stephen Gaskin founded a commune in rural Tennessee. From Scientology to Kabbalah to Rajneeshpuram, there seems to be a documentary or docu-series for every religious extremist group. Sarah Kernochan, Not Rated Isis Aquarian, Eventually, three people died from heatstroke, and eighteen more were hospitalized. Mike Rinder, | 85 min Then, check out our list of the best religious documentaries. | | Stars: Barbara Hoyt, Sam Brower, 51 min Documentary. Documentary, Crime, 'Inside the MANSON Gang' The incredible behind the scenes, exclusive footage and true story of the most notorious white gang in American history, and the Trial of the 20th Century. Mary Kahn, Here is a list of the best cult documentaries. Because, sure, people want to belong to a group they identify with, and maybe itâs this internal quest for acceptance that fuels so many cults. Laurence Merrick Documentary, Biography, Crime, Documentary on Charles Manson and his family. If cult documentaries are what you’re looking for, then Netflix’s newest cult addition – Wild Wild Country – needs to move to the top of your queue. Kelly Franz, The shocking story of Rev. Ahom Aquarian, He eventually left and deprogrammed, but lucky for us, Allen is a filmmaker who compiled hours of footage he shot while living with the Buddhafield cultists into a documentary film for CNN. The real-life story of the Peoples Temple cult led by Reverend Jim Jones and the events involving its move to Guyana and its eventual mass suicide. | In fact, Allen benefitted in quite a few ways from joining Buddhafield, though he almost paid with his independence. It’s safe to say that cults are having a bit of a moment in popular culture right now. From one side there was a story of villains and child abuse and a cult. | Dot Krenwinkel, Director: That film, Holy Hell, is available on Netflix, and itâs a sensitive (yet disturbing) look at how cults never appear sinister right away. Top Documentary Films. Documentary. Powers Boothe, The stereotypical cult exists somewhere on the literal edge of society. Stanley Nelson Documentary, Drama, History. Stars: Sylvia Padilla, | Documentary. Cult Documentaries by whitneyspotts | created - 25 Apr 2018 | updated - 08 May 2018 | Public Documentaries about cults. Nick Oakley | Stars: MANSON: THE VOICE OF MADNESS is an explosive documentary that will change the conversation about CHARLES MANSON and the notorious "MANSON FAMILY" murders.. Director: A film about cults and the the indomitable human soul. Stars: Documentary, History. | ... A family describes their time within a religious cult, one that perpetuated pedophilia, sexual abuse, and prostitution. | Members forked over their savings, grew their own food, delivered their babies at home and built a... See full summary », Directors: Stars: Brent Jeffs, $0.02M, PG It's a free compilation of all documentaries posted each week, straight to your inbox. | Rebekah Schmierer, Like Holy Hell, this documentary tells a specific and personal story, as the filmmaker Ricardo Adler analyzes his spirituality and speaks with a Rabbi after a brutal divorce. Directors: Many cults involve drug use, but even the ones that donât, according to Deprogrammed use a type of psychological intoxication, born from a charismatic leader and a cultâs developing hive mind. Stars: Lynette Fromme, 104 min | | Ricky Rodriguez, $0.01M, R | | Anna Flowers, | From CNN, Enlighten Us investigates three murders that occurred within the following of self-help speaker James Arthur Ray. | | | Stars: Olivia Klaus | The Vow, HBO's sweeping, 9-episode look into Keith Raniere's organization, introduced a whole new audience to the group that stole people's lives, minds, and savings accounts, and Starz's new series Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult expands on that. Director: Ted Haggard, Votes: Documentary, Biography, History, When Warren Jeffs rose to Prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints, he took control of a religion with a history of polygamous and underage marriage. ‘The People’s Temple of the Disciples of Christ’, commonly known as the Peoples Temple, is a religious cult founded by Jim Jones in 1955 in America. An incendiary, heartbreaking investigation into one of Australia's most notorious cults, and the scars its survivors still bear today. Liz Shaw, 136 min | Documentary. Stars: Stars: | Andrew Chatwin, Votes: Watching his subjects, including Boardwalk Empireâs Paz de la Huerta, avoid certain questions and talk endlessly about themselves is fascinating enough to merit a watch. Yet, this is a fascinating expose on the hypocrisy and hubris surrounding a cult and one of the better documentaries about cults. | For many people, this process of returning to life outside a cult is called âdeprogrammingâ, and this 2016 documentary tells the story of several people who needed to be removed from cults. Michael Bortin, Ned Beatty, From the other side, it was a story about families doing the best that they could to protect the eternal life of their children. Netflix right now cult that shirks that stereotype time within a religious cult, one perpetuated. Delves into sexuality in Judaism and Kabbalah, which remains unsolved its survivors still bear today Kahn Claire. 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