Of all the jaw-dropping stories in Jean-Charles Deniau’s Scientology: The Truth About a Lie, the craziest one involves what happens when very good believers—those who take their cleansing vitamins, participate in hours-long exercises, and, most important, open their wallets—are offered a job in an arm of Scientology known as Sea Org. They’re asked to sign a morality contract that promises they’ll be faithful to the organization…for a billion years. Sound intimidating? No worries. Recruits get 21 years off between lives. Anyone who remains unconvinced that Scientology is bonkers need only listen to the parade of participants telling their tales, nightmares that involve loads of money (up to the millions) and unabashed manipulation (an introductory “personality test” is then used to push your buttons for the next, well, 1 billion years). More fascinating than the I-was-a-loon-too commentators is Didier, a middle-aged and seemingly reasonable man with whom Deniau checks in periodically as he’s just getting acquainted with Scientology. But this process isn’t only good for the doc: On Day 90 of his involvement, Didier remarks, “Talking to you enables me to see the traps they scatter.”
At 6:30 p.m.; also on Sun., April 10 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. All showings at E Street Cinema.