Over the course of my Faith journey, Lent has become one of my favorite liturgical seasons. The incredible spiritual and formative impact of Lent is undeniable. Given that, in recent years, using art to meditate has started to re-enter the mainstream again, I figured now would be as good a time as ever to put this list out.
In 2021, as I was on a Catholic cinematic journey, I decided to create a Lenten watchlist to deepen the season. The current list being shared is a slightly updated version, but still retains the core principle of the original. It is a cinematic meditation designed to help an individual get the most out of Lent. While daily scripture should be the primary focus, each of these has been selected as a companion/meditative piece and can enhance the season. Sundays were originally skipped when I composed this list, as it was seen that they are to be dedicated to the Holy Mass. Upon considering that Sunday is a day of rest and spiritual development, Sunday film recommendations have been added. Notes next to each film have relevant scripture from that daily reading, with each film tying into the overall themes of each day.
The list is quite easy to use.
Click on the link, which will take you to Letterboxd
At the top of the list on the right side under the “Sort by List Order” button, there will be an orange button with glasses that says “Read Notes”. Click on the orange button.
Simply scroll down and find the film for the day. Each film will have the corresponding day of the liturgical calendar and a daily reading quote.
Before jumping headfirst into this list, a few things need to be addressed:
Due to the seriousness of Lent, many of these films are quite heavy.
It is not mandatory that every film be seen, as 47 films is a lot.
Not all of these films are suitable for younger audiences, such as Schindler’s List or The Passion of the Christ, so viewer discretion is advised (the parents’ guide on IMDb is a wonderful tool).
Some of these are quite long and maybe a bit artsy for some, but give them a chance to take you somewhere you’re not used to being taken.
Not every film needs to be seen, just important that whatever you choose to watch fits the day (although some like the Dekalog are quite difficult to find, so it is understandable).
Some of these can be quite difficult to find, so don’t sweat it. Many can be found on HBO, Criterion, or Amazon Prime.
The Dekalog is only accessible to my understanding if you rent it on Amazon or own the physical copy.
While not everything on here can be seen, there are a few films on the list that I recommend as almost mandatory for viewing during Lent.
These films are:
(Editor’s Note: Please remember that entries from our list of 100 Movies are not ranked)
If you have your own recommendations, please share with us some of your favorite Lenten films in the comments below!
Have a blessed and fruitful Lent.
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Very cool list. I love the scheduled layout and the mingling of secular and sacred art
This is great; thanks for sharing! My husband and I choose religious films for our Lenten weekend movie nights and it’s always fun to see new ones.
I would add ‘Triumph of the Heart’, the film released last year about St. Maximillian Kolbe. We have yet to watch it (I think you can currently only pay to stream it on its website), but I’ve heard it is amazing.