Pray Away

In the seventies five men came together around a church in America; each was caught between being gay and his own faith, and they began studying the Bible together. Before long it turned into an organisation. The structure they built held conferences for years, published books, sold therapy programmes and defended methods of conversion. The documentary talks with people from inside it: founders, former leaders and those who went through the programmes. Most of those who speak are no longer there. Kristine Stolakis directs. The documentary dates from 2021 and was released on Netflix. The matter at its centre is how the movement worked; the documentary shows not only the harm but how the method was made convincing. Most of the former leaders later said openly that it did not work, and some apologised by describing their own lives. There is also a person in the film who continues the same work today; the narrative does not exclude him and does not cut him off. Conversion therapy is now banned in many places and medical bodies count it harmful; the film gives that information directly. The archive footage is its most concrete material; the recordings come from the movement's own promotional films. Its limit is scope; the documentary stays within America. Who it is for: people who watch documentary on religion and identity. Who it is not for: the subject is heavy, the accounts difficult, and the film offers no hope.