S&P Awards

The Most Spiritually Literate Films of ...
11/8/16 By Various Directors Thought-provoking documentary by 18 directors on the drama, the varied political talk of citizens, and the surprises of Election Day 2016. Documentary
A Ghost Story By David Lowery A moving and minimalist ghost story that delivers food for thought about travels through time and the art of letting go. Feature
A Quiet Passion By Terence Davies A visually stunning and brilliantly acted biopicture of Emily Dickinson. Feature
A Taxi Driver By Jang Hoon The inspiring story of a South Korean cab driver whose life is transformed by his heroic activities during the 1980 Gwangju Uprising. Foreign
A United Kingdom By Amma Asante A moving film about the love, courage, and perseverance of an interracial couple facing wide-ranging challenges to their marriage. Feature
After Love By Joachim Lafosse An intense family drama revolving around the split of an unmarried cohabiting couple with two children. Foreign
Audubon: John James Audubon and the Birds of America By Al Reinert A beautiful documentary on the life of the ornithologist and naturalist and his artistic masterpiece The Birds of America. Documentary
California Typewriter By Doug Nichol An entertaining documentary about people who love typewriters. Documentary
Call Me by Your Name By Luca Guadagnino An astonishing drama of sexual awakening that explores the exhilarations and anxieties that accompany first love. Feature
Coco By Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina A wonderful animated feature set around the Day of the Dead in Mexico. Animated
Columbus By Kogonada A mesmerizing film about the poetics of place and the difficult choices we must make to stay true to our passions. Feature
Cries from Syria By Evgeny Afineevsky A documentary masterpiece chronicling the stages of the Syrian revolution and the staggering suffering of the Syrian people. Documentary
Dolores By Peter Bratt A deft and compelling documentary about one of America's premier Latino labor leaders and civil rights activists. Documentary
Downsizing By Alexander Payne A dramedy about an ordinary man given the choice to become a bodhisattva. Feature
Faces Places By Agnes Varda, JR A playful and wonder-drenched documentary about an unusual creative collaboration. Documentary
Félicité By Alain Gomis A drama about how music eases the pain of a seasoned survivor struggling with some unexpected challenges. Foreign
First They Killed My Father By Angelina Jolie A deeply human study of the Cambodian genocide and the brave survival of one little girl. Foreign
Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami… By John Griesser, Jean Griesser, Lauren Ross A dynamic documentary about the visionary Vedic scholar who launched the Hare Krishna movement. Documentary
Human Flow By Ai Weiwei A meditative and visually stunning overview of the plight of refugees around the world. Documentary
In This Corner of the World By Sunao Katabuchi A Japanese anime film about a young woman's daily life in a town near Hiroshima during World War II. Animated
Jane By Brett Morgen A soul-stirring cinematic tribute to Jane Goodall and her reverence for chimpanzees. Documentary
Journey to Greenland By Sebastien Betbeder The cross-cultural journey of two long-time friends visiting one of their fathers in a remote Inuit village. Foreign
Kedi By Ceyda Torun A magical and immensely endearing documentary about the love affair between the people of Istanbul and the stray cats who wander the streets of the city. Documentary
Last Men in Aleppo By Feras Fayyad An unflinching, grippingly realistic, and heart-rending documentary about the senseless carnage of war. Documentary
Letters from Baghdad By Sabine Krayenbühl, Zeva Oelbaum An exquisite documentary on the extraordinary life and work of Gertrude Bell. Documentary
Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry By Laura Dunn, Jef Sewell A spiritually abundant documentary on the life and work of a humble rural seer. Documentary
Loving Vincent By Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman A creative animated feature exploring the mysterious death of Vincent Van Gogh. Animated
Lucky By John Carroll Lynch The poignant story of the spiritual journey of a nonagenarian facing changes in his daily life. Feature
Marshall By Reginald Hudlin A rousing courtroom drama about Thurgood Marshall as an ardent NAACP lawyer in a town convulsed by racial hatred of blacks. Feature
Maudie By Aisling Walsh An inspiring portrait of the resilience of a crippled but immensely creative woman. Feature
Menashe By Joshua Z. Weinstein An authentic and endearing portrait of an oddball in his Brooklyn Hasidic community. Feature
Mudbound By Dee Rees A tale of two families that reveals the malevolent growth of racism in the United States. Feature
Mully By Scott Haze An inspiring documentary about an African millionaire whose goodness leads him to serve the street orphans of Nairobi, Kenya. Feature
Nowhere to Hide By Zaradasht Ahmed A laser-sharp documentary on the impact on civilians of five years of war and destruction in Iraq. Documentary
Okja By Bong Joon-Ho A rollicking tale about animal rights, interspecies love, and corporate greed. Feature
Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World By Catherine Bainbridge, Alfonso Maiorana A stirring documentary on the impressive contributions of Indians to popular music. Documentary
School Life By Neasa Ní Chianáin, David Rane A thoroughly entertaining documentary set in an Irish prep school where two eccentric teachers draw out the students' creativity Documentary
Seven Songs for a Long Life By Amy Hardie A touching documentary about the healing powers of music in a hospice setting. Documentary
The Big Sick By Michael Showalter A touching romantic comedy with rounded, funny, and vulnerable lovers. Feature
The Breadwinner By Nora Twomey An animated feature about a young girl who defies the Taliban in Afghanistan through her courage and storytelling. Animated
The Divine Order By Petra Volpe The story of the transformation of a submissive housewife into a change-maker in her small conservative Swiss town. Foreign
The Farthest By Emer Reynolds Top-drawer documentary on the astonishing mission of the Voyager spacecrafts past the outer planets of our solar system and beyond. Documentary
The Florida Project By Sean Baker A vibrant portrait that shows us from a child's point of view how play and enthusiasm can be ways to survive poverty. Feature
The Journey By Nick Hamm An account inspired by historical events that illustrates how dialogue and empathy can help politicians build peace. Feature
The Last Dalai Lama? By Mickey Lemle An edifying and uplifting documentary on the spiritual insights, practices, and epiphanies of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Documentary
The Lost City of Z By James Gray A mesmerizing quest movie about a British explorer's dangerous expeditions in the Amazon rainforest. Feature
The Midwife By Martin Provost A satisfying dramedy about a woman seeking fresh directions and adventures during middle age. Foreign
The Passion of Augustine By Lea Pool An intriguing drama about a musically gifted religious who creatively handles the many challenges facing her convent school. Foreign
The Red Turtle By Michael Dudok de Wit A magical and mystical animated film about an island, a castaway, a shapeshifting being, and dreams. Animated
The Shape of Water By Guillermo del Toro A sensuous film that is both a fairy tale and a socially relevant portrait of the prejudices afoot in our times. Feature
The Women's Balcony By Emil Ben-Shimon A well-done religious drama set in Jerusalem where the members of a small synagogue confront changes demanded by a fundamentalist zealot. Foreign
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri By Martin McDonagh A sturdy depiction of the grace that accompanies turning an enemy into a friend. Feature
Truman By Cesc Gay A heart-affecting drama about dying, grief, friendship, and love. Foreign
War for the Planet of the Apes By Matt Reeves The third in a series of sci-fi epics that surges with an unflinching focus on spiritual matters. Feature
Wonder By Stephen Chbosky An extraordinarily sensitive drama that tutors us in the spiritual practices of wonder and kindness. Feature
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