Most Spiritually Literate Films | Spirituality & Practice

3-Iron By Kim Ki-duk A subversive and boldly creative film from Korea about a silent young man who travels light, falls in love, and turns into a liberator. International

After Innocence By Jessica Sanders An extraordinary documentary about injustices rectified and innocent men set free after years in prison. Documentary

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress By Dai Sijie A light-hearted, playful love story set in China with a tribute to the soul-stirring powers of French literature. International

Because of Winn-Dixie By Wayne Wang A magical story about a lonely girl whose life is transformed by a stray dog with a spiritual gift for bringing her together with just the right people. Feature

Breakfast on Pluto By Neil Jordan An endearing portrait of a transvestite whose playful ease in the face of harrowing experiences makes him into what the Taoist sages call a 'disciple of life'. Feature

Brokeback Mountain By Ang Lee A pitch perfect drama about the heartache of two Western cowboys whose love for each other can only be expressed in secret. Feature

Brothers By Susanne Bier An extraordinary Danish film that explores the primal emotions of sibling rivalry and the toxins of violence released in soldiers in war zones. International

Crash By Paul Haggis A tense film examining the racial and class divisions in American society that make every stranger into a potential enemy. Feature

Darwin's Nightmare By Hubert Sauper A shocking and soul-shaking Austrian documentary about the dire effects of globalization upon the poor citizens of Tanzania. Documentary

Downfall By Oliver Hirshbiegel A sobering film that charts the last 10 days in the life of Adolf Hitler. International

Emmanuel's Gift By Lisa Lax, Nancy Stern An inspiring documentary about a determined young man who almost single-handedly has changed the way the disabled are treated in Ghana. Documentary

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room By Alex Gibney An engrossing parable about power, greed, arrogance, and ethical malfeasance on a grand scale. Documentary

Good Night, and Good Luck By George Clooney A stirring tribute to television journalist Edward R. Murrow's courage and conviction in a dark period of American history. Feature

Grizzly Man By Werner Herzog A mesmerizing documentary by Werner Herzog about a young man obsessed with grizzly bears in the Alaskan wilderness. Documentary

Hidden (Caché) By Michael Haneke A sharp-edged thriller about the refusal of privileged members of the winning class to trust others or to take responsibility for their actions. International

Howl's Moving Castle By Hayao Miyazaki A rousing treatment of caretaking, aging, anti-war sentiments, and the bounties of the heart. Animated

In My Country By John Boorman A bold drama set in South Africa that salutes forgiveness and restorative justice as alternatives to revenge and the continuing cycle of violence. Feature

Junebug By Phil Morrison An endearing small film about a couple who find their new marriage tested during a visit to the groom's family in North Carolina where traditional values hold sway. Feature

March of the Penguins By Luc Jacquet An extraordinary French documentary on the lives and habits of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica. Documentary

Memoirs of a Geisha By Rob Marshall A beautiful window into Japanese culture that also shows how a small act of kindness can send out many ripples, and transform another's life. Feature

Millions By Danny Boyle An endearing, charming, creative, and spiritually uplifting movie about miracles, money, saints, and the divine love that will not let us go. Feature

Murderball By Dana Adam Shapiro, Henry-Alex Rubin A rip-roaring documentary that will take you to places you have never been before and introduce you to some extraordinary quadriplegics. Documentary

Nobody Knows By Hirokazu Kore-eda The harrowing story of four children in Tokyo who are abandoned by their mother and forced to fend for themselves over a six-month period. International

Paradise Now By Hany Abu-Asaad This powerful film tells the desperation of Palestinians who feel that living under oppression is hell and that dying is preferable. International

Pride and Prejudice By Joe Wright An enchanting screen version that breathes new life into Austen's classic novel. Feature

Saint Ralph By Michael McGowan A heartfelt story about a teenager who proves that ordinary individuals can do extraordinary things through strong intention, fiery determination, and a little help from their friends. Feature

Saraband By Ingmar Bergman A poignant film where we watch family members bare their souls and in their faces we see intimations of the grand emotions that animate us all. International

Sunset Story By Laura Gabbert An extraordinary documentary about the friendship between two activist elders in a Los Angeles retirement community created for political progressives. Documentary

Syriana By Stephen Gaghan A complex, honest film that reveals the violence, corruption, and political chicanery involved in maintaining our addiction to fossil fuels. Feature

The Boys of Baraka By Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady A passionate tale that charts an experimental educational program that takes African-American boys from the ghetto streets of Baltimore to the wilderness of Kenya. Documentary

The Constant Gardener By Fernando Meirelles A gripping thriller that exposes the shadowy parameters of a war against the poor and the powerless that is animated by corporate greed and political amorality. Feature

The Family Stone By Thomas Bezucha A funny and emotionally resonant family drama about the value of seeing everyone as a work in progress. Feature

The Interpreter By Sydney Pollack A tense thriller which salutes openness and respect for life as antidotes to the use of violence to deal with the uncertainty of our times. Feature

The Squid and the Whale By Noah Baumbach An open, honest film that allows us to enter and freely share in the emotional upheavals of all the members of a dysfunctional family. Feature

The Upside of Anger By Mike Binder An engrossing and well-acted psychodrama about the toxic side-effects of this potent and volatile emotion. Feature

Tsotsi By Gavin Hood A spiritually riveting film about a nasty thug in a Johannesburg shanty town whose violent and selfish life is totally transformed when he finds a baby in a car he's stolen. International

Turtles Can Fly By Bahman Ghobadi A mesmerizing film set in Iraq that deals with the fallout from both dictators and liberators on the torn lives of children living in refugee camps. International

Walk the Line By James Mangold The story of Johnny and June Cash paying special attention to the important role that our primal emotions play in life, love, and creativity. Feature

Wall By Simone Bitton A scary and poignant documentary about the wall dividing Palestinians from Israelis. Documentary

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