Most Spiritually Literate Films | Spirituality & Practice

21 Grams By Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu A deeply spiritual film exploring the ties that bind together a heart transplant recipient, a grieving mother, and a born-again ex-con in a riveting journey of guilt, pain, sacrifice, and redemption. Feature

Balseros (Cuban Rafters) By Carles Bosch, Josep M. Domenech An ambitious and well-realized documentary about seven Cuban dreamers who risked their lives aboard homemade rafts to make it to America to forge a new life for themselves. Documentary

Big Fish By Tim Burton An unpredictable tale about a story-loving child who still enjoys exploring dreams, fantasies, and larger-than-life adventures. Feature

Bonhoeffer By Martin Doblmeier A riveting and poignant overview of the life and work of the German theologian who pointed the way forward to a bold new vision of Christianity. Special Interest

Bruce Almighty By Tom Shadyac A cinematic parable about a selfish and obsessed television reporter whose spiritual journey opens his heart and sets him on a path of using his gifts to serve others. Feature

Bus 174 By Jose Padilha A compelling documentary that dares to tell the truth about the tragic and dangerous consequences of one young man's poverty, exposure to violence, and brutal treatment while in prison. Documentary

Cold Mountain By Anthony Minghella A universal quest story about the yearning for hope and home that enables two lovers to deal with the harrowing menace and senseless violence of war. Feature

Dirty Pretty Things By Stephen Frears A soul-stirring movie that will rock you to your foundations if you just come to it with an open heart. Feature

Finding Nemo (3D) By Andrew Stanton A rousing computer-animated adventure, now in 3D, that celebrates youthful independence and lances the illusion that parents can make the world safe for their children. Animated

Girl with a Pearl Earring By Peter Webber An artistic film par excellence that tells the story of one of Jan Vermeer's most known paintings with visual riches and creative integrity. Feature

Holes By Andrew Davis A dramatically inventive and emotionally satisfying film about a loser who comes out ahead. Feature

House of Sand and Fog By Vadim Perlman An engrossing drama about the downward mobility of a recovering alcoholic and the upward mobility of a yearning Iranian immigrant. Feature

In America By Jim Sheridan A soulful and buoyant portrait of a poverty stricken Irish family's winning battle to move beyond the wrenching and chaotic emotions of grief into a new life in Manhattan. Feature

In This World By Michael Winterbottom An incredibly moving film directed by Michael Winterbottom about two young Afghan refugees struggling to survive a harrowing overland journey to London in search of a better life. International

L'Auberge Espagnole By Cedric Klapisch A captivating French film about an industrious young man's experiences abroad in Barcelona and his recognition of his various selves and his unity with others. International

Levity By Ed Solomon A powerful and poignant drama about a repentant murderer's quest to make amends with the sister of the person he killed years ago. This fresh exploration of forgiveness touches the heart. Feature

Lilya 4-Ever By Lukas Moodysson A compelling and disturbing film about an abandoned Russian teenager who finds herself an unwilling victim in the global sex trade. International

Lost in Translation By Sofia Coppola A luscious and sensitive film about two Americans who reach out over the age barrier to connect with each other in Tokyo. Feature

Marooned in Iraq - Gomgashtei dar Aragh By Bahman Ghobadi The adventures of an elderly Kurdish musician and his two grown sons on a mission of mercy in Iraq's danger zones and refugee camps. International

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World By Peter Weir A rattling good sea saga filled with two first-class performances, a memorable portrait of friendship, and a substantive exploration of leadership. Feature

Mondays in the Sun By Fernando Leon de Aranoa A deeply ethical work that has a universal quality to its depiction of the soul-destroying capacities of unemployment. International

Monsieur Ibrahim By Francois Dupeyron A spiritual adventure story about a Sufi grocer who passes on the wisdom of his path to a lonely adolescent boy filled with a yearning for something more. International

OT: Our Town By Scott Hamilton Kennedy A remarkable documentary about some ghetto kids in Compton, California, who rise to the best in themselves in a rousing high school production of Thornton Wilder's famous play. Documentary

Pieces of April By Peter Hedges A complex story revolving around a Thanksgiving dinner that draws out our mixed feelings about families, nasty grievances, and moments of gratitude. Feature

Seabiscuit By Gary Ross A robust story of an underdog horse and three nobodies who join him in a quest that turns into an adventure for the whole country. Feature

Secondhand Lions By Tim McCanlies An extraordinary coming-of-age movie that salutes the odd ways eccentric individuals can inspire us to become all we are meant to be. Feature

Sister Helen By Rebecca Cammisa, Rob Fruchtman A compassionate story of a tough Catholic nun working with addicts in the South Bronx who has let their suffering touch her heart. Special Interest

Stone Reader By Mark Moskowitz An extraordinary documentary that is both a lively and an illuminating tribute to the wonderful world of books. Documentary

Swimming Pool By Francois Ozon A mesmerizing and imaginative psychological thriller about the delights that can come when we explore aspects of ourselves that we have previously ignored or covered up. International

The Barbarian Invasions By Denys Arcand A bracing comedy about all those bothersome outside forces that unsettle our lives along with all those blessings that open our hearts unexpectedly. International

The Fog of War By Errol Morris A morally thought-provoking documentary in which Robert McNamara, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, discusses the lessons of World War II, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Vietnam War. Documentary

The Last Samurai By Edward Zwick A remarkable and exquisitely rendered drama that mixes the raw savagery of war with magical moments of Zen peacefulness and spiritual uplift. Feature

The Magdalene Sisters By Peter Mullan An unflinching and compelling drama about the unjust incarceration of young women in Ireland by the Catholic Church for their so-called sexual indiscretions. Feature

The Man on the Train (L'Homme du train) By Patrice Leconte A marvelously acted French film about two men past their prime who cross each other's paths and yearn for something completely different in their lives. International

The Station Agent By Tom McCarthy A fine and funny film that explores all the curious ways in which friendship can abound, express love, turn us around and take us to places we have never imagined. Feature

The Yogis of Tibet: A Film for Posterity By Phil and Jo Borack An extraordinary film that salutes the spiritual disciplines and practices of Tibetan yogis who have mastered their minds and bodies as part of their devotion to the dharma. Special Interest

Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion By Tom Peosay An extraordinary and passionate documentary about the plight of the Tibetan people whose religion remains one of the wonders of the world with its wisdom on nonviolence, mind training, and compassion. Special Interest

Together By Chen Kaige A vibrant and touching Chinese film that tugs at the heart and convincingly conveys the challenges faced by a teenage musical prodigy from the provinces after he arrives in Beijing. International

Whale Rider By Niki Caro An enchanting and ultimately enthralling New Zealand movie about the struggle of one ardent and determined young Maori girl to fulfill her destiny. Feature

Winged Migration By Jacques Perrin A glorious celebration of birds in flight, conveying the beauty and the amazing feats of strength and endurance of their long distance journeys. Documentary

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