Alex Gibney Sets his Sights on Scientology in ‘Going Clear’ Oscar-winning director's expose investigates the controversial and enigmatic religion

Written by Jenna Belhumeur

During Wednesday night’s screening of the HBO-hit documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney joined DOC NYC’s Artistic Director Thom Powers on stage to speak about the reception of his ground-breaking film. Since premiering at Sundance Film Festival, the film has screened around the world and has become one of HBO’s most watched documentaries in the network’s history. However, the Church of Scientology has fought back.

Gibney said that many of the subjects interviewed in the film, most of whom are former members of the church, are now constantly followed and intimidated by Scientologists. He revealed that the church has also produced a number of short films criticizing him and is working on a full length documentary about the director. Scientologists typically employ this very tactic to target those who disparage them – part of their fair game doctrine that Gibney also explores in the film.

“It’s baked into their ideology,” Gibney said. “They are trying to reassure their members, ‘Don’t worry, this guy’s a liar.’”

From all the subjects Gibney has tackled in his documentary investigations, from the Catholic Church to the U.S. government, he called the Scientologists the “loudest and most aggressive.”

The film’s deep investigations into the history of the Church of Scientology, their practices and their current leadership backed by celebrity endorsers like John Travolta and Tom Cruise, is deeply persuasive. An inside look at the life of American science fiction author and Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard reveals much about the tenants and motivations behind the religion, and indeed makes one question whether it can be qualified as a religion at all.

Scientology’s membership remains small – less than 50,000 members worldwide, and Gibney disclosed that the documentary has allowed many other members to come forward and have the strength to leave an organization responsible for many scarring experiences.

While Scientology controversially remains classified as a religion – partially due to the IRS’s apparent inability to revoke their coveted tax-exempt status – Going Glear remains a groundbreaking film in its powerful and unwavering commitment to truth.

Jenna Belhumeur is a recent graduate of Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism, and currently works within the video department at The Wall Street Journal. Her first documentary short, BACK, explores the experiences of an ex-prisoner reentering society after 40 years behind bars. The film premieres at this year’s DOC NYC festival. Follow her on Twitter @jenna_bel