True Believer

The United States was founded on a separation between church and state, but don’t tell that to the practitioners of American Evangelicalism. Through the investigatory lens of a former evangelist, learn the sordid history of how the religious right has spent decades in their mission to overhaul democracy in their own image, from the true origins of the pro-life movement to the continued belief in white supremacy.Growing up in the evangelical community, filmmaker Kristen Irving was raised with certain beliefs: that a woman’s duty is to submit to a man; that abortion is the worst type of sin; and that hell is a very real place for anyone who disobeys the church’s teachings. Today, evangelicals have become a staple in the far-right’s voting block, feverishly touting their heteronormative pro-life agenda as their most important political issue. But how did they get there? Exploring the hidden truths about the origins of the religious right, while simultaneously untangling Irving’s own complicated history within her family, TRUE BELIEVER is an informative and timely documentary. Intimate, layered, and honest, this film highlights conversations with a wide array of current and former members of the evangelical church, including Irving and her mother, providing them the chance to unpack the complexities of their faith together for the very first time. —G.S. WORLD PREMIEREGUEST(S) IN ATTENDANCE