The power of movies about nuns: “Seeing the Light, Hearing the Call…”

I am so pleased to announce the publication of a superb article at the University of Nebraska’s online Journal for Religion and Film about how movies about nuns influenced many young women in their discernment and decision to enter religious life. The article,” Seeing the Light, Hearing the Call: Women Religious as Spectators and Subjects of Popular Nun Films” is by Professor Maureen Sabine of the University of Hong Kong. It follows her 2013 book: VEILED DESIRES: INTIMATE PORTRAYALS OF NUNS IN POSTWAR ANGLO-AMERICAN FILM that I reviewed in the National Catholic Reporter as a fascinating and informed exploration of the inner lives of cinematic nuns in post-war films from the US and UK.

In the interest of full disclosure, when I reviewed Dr. Sabine’s book I got in touch with her to ask more about it and we began corresponding via email about her book, my review, and following up the book with a survey.

While I hope you find this journal article as engaging as I did, I hope it will lead you to the book, especially if you are a person involved in religious formation in women’s communities especially or interested in how Hollywood (and Pinewood) represent nuns in film.