Spiritual film
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spiritual film is a type of film in which metaphysical topics and stories about human potentiality are presented. This can be a part of any film genre, though the stories tend to attempt to be uplifting and optimistic and thus are usually a part of romance films, fantasy films, comedy films or drama. Typical plots include friendly aliens, angels, time travel romances, saints and hero myths, and of course afterlife depictions. Certain directors and producers are either explicitly or implicitly working to advance spiritual film. Filmmakers who are actively working to advance this type of film in the United States include Hollywood refugee Stephen Simon, producer of What Dreams May Come (1998) and Indigo (2003), and underground director Antero Alli, creator of Tragos (2001) and Under a Shipwrecked Moon (2003). In Argentina, director Eliseo Subiela is also working to advance the film type with films such as Don't Die Without Telling Me Where You Are Going (1995) and Little Miracles (1997).
Some related film categories could be considered subcategories, such as Religious film, in which the beliefs and founding figures of existing churches are explored, thus often connecting with Biography and Documentary. Because there are so many, it would not be possible to list examples of Religious film without impliying bias toward any one church. Many fans of Spiritual film might consider dogmatic religious films to be antithetical to inclusive spirituality, but the films clearly share the same metaphysical themes.
Mystical film is another related subcategory, in which paranormal and psychic phenomena are depicted with some realism at the possible expense of wide inspirational appeal, thus connecting with occult themes and horror films. While a mystical horror film such as Poltergeist (1982) or The Frighteners (1996) might not be considered spiritually uplifting by general audiences, for a mystically interested audience the effort at paranormal depiction is itself inspiring and thus spiritually validating.
