Virgin Tales

A quietly unsettling look at faith and purity culture, watching true believers chase a fairy-tale ideal with unsettling conviction.

Directed by

Mirjam von Arx

Genres

Documentary

Overview

Evangelical Christians are calling out for a second sexual revolution: chastity. As a counter-movement of the attitudes and practices of today's culture, one in six girls in the US has vowed to remain 'unsoiled' until marriage. But the seven children of the Wilson family, founders of the Purity Ball, take this concept of purity of body and mind one step further; even their first kiss will be at the altar. For two years, the filmmakers follow the Wilson offspring as they prepare for their fairytale vision of romance and marriage and seek out their own prince and princess spouses. In the process, a broader theme emerges: how the religious right is grooming a young generation of virgins to embody an Evangelically-grounded Utopia in America.

How it feels

Earnest, satirical, melancholic and tense. Measured and needs your attention.

About

Faith, gender, family, identity

Content

Mild sexual content and language. No violence or gore.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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