Apostasy (2017)

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

i must have seen a different film!!

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

If you are a former JW who has dealt with being shunned, this will likely have a strong effect on you emotionally, so be aware that if you do not have EX-JW support, you will want to know that it will likely trigger you, so be sure whomever you do have for support knows this and can help you if you are feeling emotional or numb afterwards. This film represents both sides for the duration of the film, the first half of the film represents the JW's side quite heavily and tells the story through the eyes of the "faithful" JW Daughter, the second half is primarily told trough the eyes of the Disfellowshipped (excommunicated, shunned) daughter and the Mothers story is told throughout. Having been raised in this terrible cult, I (as well as many others) can attest that it's destructive. The shunning is real and is preached about at every recent convention of these people. They will claim that they are only follow biblical teachings, they will claim that EVERYONE who left them is "disgruntled" and attacking them, and they will continually victimize themselves with how "persecuted" they are by former members....... members who they once loved and now they shun them, treat them like strangers and give them looks of disgust simply for them making the decision that they no longer believe in the same religious philosophy. (Me being one who was taught by my parents that I needed to be baptized into this cult and I did so at 10yo, I obeyed them and followed this religion until I was an adult and out of their home, but after growing up and realizing it wasn't for me I was excommunicated and shunned by my family...... and if you wonder what that looks like, imagine not seeing or speaking to your parents or siblings for 18yrs all based on a "decision" I made at 10yo...... loving "Christian" Organization?) I know that I AM a victim of this cult, I won't victimize myself more for that or use it as an excuse for poor quality of life, I have a wonderful life in spite of the past and what was stolen from me by being raised in a cult. I feel that the name of the movie is slightly misleading as what the witnesses define as apostasy is represented very little in this movie, it's more of a story of shunning than an activist film. However, it's an attention grabbing title. ***BE AWARE that some of the reviews on here of the movie are from current JW's and they are not going to tell you much about the movie because they are forbidden to watch any "propaganda" by Apostates (former JW's that speak out against the religion) so none of them will have actually watched this film, they just want to give bad ratings to sway others from watching it as they know that it won't portray them in a positive light to the people outside of their rank and file.

Writer-Director Daniel Kokotajlo's 'Apostasy' is a film that leaves you shaken & uncomfortable, by its sheer power. Kokotajlo paints his film with subtlety, but ends it with the impact of a sledgehammer. Its a stunning victory for the man in charge.'Apostasy' Synopsis: A faithful Jehovah's Witness is forced to shun her own sister because of a religious transgression. As the separation draws out, she starts to question the meaning of God's love.'Apostasy', which I watched last year at Mumbai Film Festival, left me rattled. This is a film that depicts faith & its fanatical approach to people, whose freedom & choices are repeatedly questioned or condemned. In 'Apostasy', we see a family of 3 women, a mother & her two daughters, wrestling it out in their heads & lives as their faithfulness to the practice of being a Jehovah's Witness. Its a shocking film, that never uses loud background score (just like Paul Schrader's Fantastic "First Reformed") or melodrama to prove its point. 'Apostasy' is quietly devastating as its powerful. Its such an emotionally overwhelming experience, that even people belonging from a particular faith or beliefs, are bound to be left engrossed.Kokotajlo makes a stunning debut. Kokotajlo's Screenplay slowly builds up, only to gradually pick up & leave a thunderous impact. Kokotajlo's Direction is remarkably controlled. This man deserves more work! Cinematography, Editing & Art Design are top-notch.Performance-Wise: Siobhan Finneran, Sacha Parkinson & Jessica Baglow deliver extraordinarily. Robert Emms is first-rate. Others lend perfect support.On the whole, 'Apostasy' is, quite simply put, a roaring motion-picture that deserves to be seen. Don't Miss It.

I was a JW for many years and watched this movie and expected a lot more from it. It was truly dull and never really depicted the horrid cult of Watch Tower as evil and twisted, which it truly is. They regularly drive people to suicide because of their "shunning" policy, but this was never touched upon in any meaningful way. The acting was very good but the screenplay was a tepid affair that didn't hit home the truth about this cult. I definitely couldn't sit through this again. I give it 3 stars because of the solid acting.

I was a Jehovah's Witness for eight years. Disassociated. (That means I left on my own free-will.) The movie is very well made and 100% accurate with the terminology and procedures used by Jehovah's Witnesses. It does not sugar coat the issues between the Watchtower Organization's brutal policy of shunning disfellowshipped family members, nor does it even resolve the issues or comforts the viewer. The movie simply gives us the hard truth of the impact caused by extreme religious indoctrination. One can only watch this and reflect on their own experience.