As alex gibneys new scientology doc made waves at the sundance film festival, the director joined the hollywood reporters festival lounge to elaborate on questions provoked by the controversial. Alex gibneys new scientology documentary stirred speculation that protesters might attend the films sundance premiere sunday night. Scientology lashes out at documentary in rare public video. Scientology and the prison of belief, which premiered sunday at. Going clear scientology film preaches to converted. Alex gibney shakes the scientology tree in his crackling film version. But gibneys film is biased and onesided, the scientology attack will claim. A new film that is critical of scientology premiered on sunday at the sundance film festival and the event required police protection due to hostile members of the religion. Park city, utah secrecy shrouded the controversial documentary going clear. Scientology, hollywood and the prison of belief, was one of the hottest tickets at the festival. Scientology documentary going clear premiered sunday at the 2015 sundance film festival to a standing ovation from a crowd that included. Church of scientology launches attack on hbo documentary. Even if youve read lawrence wrights book, going clear.
The difference between reading about scientology s bizarre principles and seeing them up onscreen, spelled out in an easily digestible and visually exciting way is profound. Scientology reps slam going clear after wellreceived. The controversial film debuted at the sundance film festival, and the creators talked about their belief that the church of scientology destroyed nicole kidman and tom cruises marriage, the inquisitr. Though the lid was blown off the church of scientology long ago, alex gibneys powderkeg documentary, going clear, should certainly rattle the walls, if not. Critic kenneth turan tells nprs renee montagne about some of the festivals mustsee films, including documentaries about. Scientology documentary going clear premiered sunday at the 2015 sundance film festival to a standing ovation from a crowd that. Scientology doc going clear shocks sundance filmgoers park city, utah secrecy shrouded the controversial documentary going clear. Scientology and the prison of belief, which premiered at the sundance film festival. Going clear scientology film preaches to converted 4 5 stars 4 out of 5 stars. This past monday, the creators of the documentary going clear.
Tom cruise plot, prison camps in scientology doc going clear the film generated massive buzz at sundance, resurfacing the most damaging accusations against the religion. Going clear is a great scientology explainer, but not much new. The film was shown in denmark on dr2 as scientologys religiose f. A documentary looking at the innerworkings of the church of scientology. Alex gibneys going clear takes on scientology variety. Stronger than ever sundance docs tackle scientology. Alex gibney offers a levelheaded look at scientology that makes for compelling viewing in the hbo documentary going clear. Scientology, hollywood and the prison of belief 20. Louis theroux documents his investigation into what goes on behind the scenes of the infamous church of scientology. At the heart of it all, gibney has made a great film about the dangers of blind faith or, as the subtitle of going clear puts it, the prison of belief a phenomenon hardly unique to. To rebut the gibney film, which first played at the sundance film. Rodney dangerfield at his best on the tonight show starring johnny carson 1983 duration. Alex gibneys documentary about l ron hubbards religion reportedly vetted by 160 lawyers makes for entertaining and dismaying viewing.
The controversial film premiered to a hollywood crowd sunday. The documentary will debut at robert redfords sundance film festival in park city, utah. By brent lang no documentary has inspired more controversy at this years sundance film festival than going clear. Hundreds lined up for the film by alex gibney, who said he was quietly pleased that scientologists had taken out ads decrying the film. The cast and crew of going clear at the sundance film festival. Gibney had an excellent blueprint to work from in lawrence wrights exhaustively researched 20 nonfiction bestseller from which the film takes its title, but hes also added much. Kevin bacon, scientology and the nature of evel knievel at the sundance film festival. Members await the opening of the new office of the scientology church in berlin january, 2007 photo. Director alex gibneys explosive hbo documentary about scientology, going clear, which is based on lawrence wrights bestselling book of the same name, premiered sunday night at the sundance. Going clear is a good primer, a very damning and powerful inditement on the church of scientology. The film premiered at the 2015 sundance film festival in park city, utah. Alex gibneys new documentary looks at the beliefs and practices of scientology.
Ron hubbardto presentday practices and alleged abuses as reported in the media. Scientology and the prison of belief debuted to a standing ovation at the sundance film festival. Documentary draws ire from the church of scientology the. Casting jonbenet presents audiences with a hybrid of nonfiction and fiction filmmaking that examines the complicated legacy of this tiny starlet. Relying on a local casting call to entirely voice her. A true master of his craft, gibney returns to the sundance film festival for. Scientology movie going clear creates buzz at sundance.
Alex gibney at sundance film festival 12515 youtube. After 20 years of media speculation and public hysteria, the unsolved death of sixyearold american beauty queen jonbenet ramsey remains one of the worlds most sensational child murder cases. Kevin bacon, scientology and the nature of evel knievel. Scientology film subjects called brave, get standing. Documentary draws ire from the church of scientology. Alex gibneys documentary about l ron hubbards religion. She made her film debut in venus 2006, and has subsequently appeared in happygolucky 2008, never let me go, brighton rock, made in dagenham all 2010, w.
Scientology film subjects called brave, get standing ovation scientology documentary going clear premiered sunday at the 2015 sundance film festival to a. The film, based on a nonfiction bestseller by lawrence wright, also reveals that former church top official marty rathbun facilitated a breakup between the two megastars. 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. Andrea louise riseborough born 20 november 1981 is an english actress. Scientology and the prison of belief, which premiered sunday at the sundance film festival. A pastiche of fascinatingly candid talking heads, news footage and archival video of scientology founder l. Scientology, hollywood and the prison of belief on which the film is based, gibneys adaptation is an eyeopening and transformative experience.
Alexy gibney and lawrence wrights documentary going clear exposes the inner workings of the church of scientology. One of the hottest tickets at this years sundance film festival was the world premiere of going clear. Sundance documentary pulls back curtain on scientology cbs news. Church of scientology targets film critics over going. Scientology, cruise, travolta and a hot premiere alex gibneys new documentary about scientology focuses in part on the churchs most famous members, including tom cruise. Church of scientology targets film critics over going clear documentary this article is more than 5 years old. Based on lawrence wrights national book awardwinning book of the same name, documentarian alex gibneys going clear. The film profiles eight former members of the church of scientology, exploring the psychological impact of blind faith, how the church attracts new. Scientology and the prison of belief sat down and held a panel discussion. Stronger than ever sundance docs tackle scientology, campus rape. The sundance film festival premiere of alex gibneys scientology critique going clear this week was so frenzied and the theater so overloaded that dozens of. Nicole kidmans children turned against her by scientology. Scientology movie going clear creates buzz at sundance film festival a hot ticket at the snowy sundance film festival this week is a scathing documentary about scientology from an academy award. With paul haggis, jason beghe, spanky taylor, david miscavige.
Documentary going clear shows how tom cruise, john travolta and paul haggis were drawn into controversial church of scientology. Scientology expose causes a stir at sundance the star. Scientology thrives on spectacle, and one big advantage the film has over the book is that it can show us footage of. Though the lid was blown off the church of scientology long ago, alex gibneys powderkeg documentary, going clear, should certainly rattle the walls, if not shake them to their very foundations. Directed by alex gibney and produced by hbo, it is based on lawrence wrights book going clear.
Scientology reps slam going clear after wellreceived sundance debut by christopher rosen after alex gibneys new documentary, going clear. Scientology and the prison of belief, debuted to a standing ovation at this years sundance film festival, representatives for the church of scientology slammed the film as false information. As alex gibney s new scientology doc made waves at the sundance film festival, the director joined the hollywood reporter s festival lounge. As alex gibneys new scientology doc made waves at the sundance film festival, the director joined the hollywood reporters festival lounge. Going clear, the muchanticipated documentary about scientology by veteran filmmaker alex gibney, caused a ruckus at sundance on sunday, resurfacing the. The alex gibneydirected film, based on lawrence wrights controversial book going clear. The church of scientology has launched a fullscale assault on director alex gibney and his film, going clear. The dismissive reaction also denouncing vengeful apostates came a day after the world premiere of going clear. The church of scientology has lashed out at a film about the controversial group at the sundance film festival, calling it false and based on obsessive, disgruntled former church members. Scientology and the prison of belief is a 2015 documentary film about scientology. Over in park city, utah, the sundance film festival is in full swing. The film covers a broad range of material from the churchs originspunctuated by an intimate portrait of founder l. Scientology documentary draws crush of festgoers the new york times.