Cinema, the Vows, Mission
Using film to contemplate aspects of Religious Life
through the lenses of Scripture, Theology and Ecclesiology, Culture, and Spirituality
Over the last year or so I prepared these lists for the Religious Formation Conference at the request of Yvonne DeBruin, the very talented program director for the RFC.
You can find information about these films at the Internet Movie Database. Most of these films are available on DVD or streaming from Amazon. You can purchase very good used copies of the DVDs from Amazon or eBay. (If they are defective in any way returns and credit are assured if you follow the protocol.)
I recommend seeing the film before you show it to any group. As the facilitator you will want to be comfortable with the film, perhaps create some questions to facilitate the conversation, and prepare for different ways the conversation might go. Some of the movies present difficult scenarios. Please note, however, that the films are listed here because to me they “speak” to the topic and present a table around which we, as religious, can gather to talk about things that matter. What is important is the context of the story and what it means rather than content analysis; looking for story and symbolic themes rather than messages. What is the movie about?
Using a narrative film or a documentary provides a pedagogically sound way to create a safe space, aside from one’s everyday and personal reality, to talk about ideas, themes, and issues that otherwise might be challenging to consider or to talk about directly. Unexpected issues may also arise. Though everyone may be looking at the same thing each one will experience it, and make meaning from it, in very different ways. This is because each person’s life experience, education, and moral, social, and faith development, are different.
A list of films dealing with prayer will be coming. You will note that many of these already deal with community, spirituality, and prayer.
Please feel free to add to this list in the comment section.
Chastity
Total self-giving to Christ and others in love, awareness, humility, dependence on God, not running from something but towards Someone. How do we live the vow of chastity today?
All of these films refer to the question of chastity or celibacy; some are about the struggle to live chastely, some only refer to the struggle; others are about discernment, commitment, and often, community.
God is a Bigger Elvis (as of June 14 not yet released)
Dead Man Walking
Sound of Music
Keeping the Faith
The Painted Veil
The Trouble with Angels
Of Gods and Men
Saving Grace (the version with Tom Conti – excellent)
Green Dolphin Street – if you can get the original
This House of Brede (the book is better but…)
Lilies of the Field
Agnes of God – this may seem a strange choice but it is a strong film about religious life and the vow of chastity
Sister Act
The Song of Bernadette
The Nuns Story
The Third Miracle
The Mighty Macs
The Thorn Birds
The Borjias
Teresa of Avila
The Seventh Chamber of Edith Stein
Doubt
Poverty
Dependence on God, enoughness, stewardship. and justice: how do we live the vow of poverty today?
These films refer to the question of evangelical poverty as virtue; some are about the struggle to live mindfully through ‘enoughness’, that includes a preferential option for the poor some only refer to the struggle; others are about discernment, commitment, and often, community.
Shawshank Redemption
Millions
About a Boy
The Spitfire Grill
Babette’s Feast
Things We Lost in the Fire
The Rabbi’s Gift (a short film that can be ordered online)
The Touch of the Master’s Hand (a short film that can be ordered online)
Babies
Pursuit of Happiness
Pieces of April
Tuesdays with Morrie
Whale Rider
The War
Wall-E
Last Holiday
Children of Heaven
Les Miserables
Marvin’s Room
The Doctor
In America
Dead Man Walking
End of the Spear
Paradise Road
The Bucket List
About Schmidt
Lilies of the Field
Cast Away
Sunshine Cleaning
Alive
Amistad
The Straight Story
Schindler’s List
Diary of Anne Frank
Conviction
Entertaining Angels
Places in the Heart
Obedience
Freedom and Responsibility: How do we Live the Vow of Obedience Today?
These films refer to the question of evangelical obedience as virtue; some are about the struggle to live in evangelical obedience, some only refer to the struggle; others are about discernment, commitment, and often, community.
Evan Almighty
The Nun’s Story
The Sound of Music
The Ten Commandments
Green Dolphin Street
In this House of Brede
Karate Kid
The Keys of the Kingdom
Of Gods and Men
Doubt
The Year of Living Dangerously
The Hiding Place
The Mission
Molokai
Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story
Conspiracy of Hearts
Amazing Grace
Amistad
Miss Potter
Dead Man Walking
Horse Whisperer
Whale Rider
Lord of the Rings
Fiddler on the Roof
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked!
Mission
Of Gods and Men
The Way
Keeping the Faith
The Keys of the Kingdom
Sister Act
God’s Mighty Servant
Dead Man Walking
Gandhi
The End of the Spear + Beyond the Gates of Splendor
Babette’s Feast
The Mission
Black Robe
Freedom Writers
Schindler’s List
Patch Adams
Beyond Rangoon
Backdraft
Evan Almighty
To End All Wars
Amazing Grace (Life of William Wilberforce)
Doubt
Song of Bernadette
The Exorcist
On the Waterfront
Diary of a Country Priest
Beyond the Gates
Scarlet and the Black
Leap of Faith
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
The Whistleblower
The Help
Stepmom
Erin Brockovich
Sunshine Cleaning
The Lion King
Departures
To Kill a Mockingbird
Hotel Rwanda
The Client
Witness
One Hundred Steps (I Cento Passi)
Adam’s Apples
The Cross and the Switchblade
A Man Called Peter
The Garden at the End of the World
Mother Teresa: In the Name of God’s Poor
Molokai
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
Year of Living Dangerously
Nazarin
The Big Kahuna
Millions
A Time for Miracles
The Hiding Place
Joan of Arc (many versions)
Tuesdays with Morrie
Bonhoeffer
Entertaining Angels
Romero
Visions
Patrick
Mother Teresa (Olivia Hussey)
Into Great Silence
Cry Freedom
The Book of Eli
Communion coming in January 2013
Spirituality to follow
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