Faith appears to be the theme running through my highlights this week, although the two films I’ve selected deal with issues of faith quite differently. Up In The Air actress Vera Farmiga directs for the first time in Higher Ground, a film about a woman’s lifelong struggle with her faith, and in the documentary Kumare, a young theology graduate undertakes an extreme experiment on spirituality.

Here are my highlights for the week:

KUMARE

Starring: Vikram Gandhi

Directed by: Vikram Gandhi

Screening: Thursday 11^th April, 8.30pm

This documentary is the brain child of an inquisitive young man eager to understand the appeal of spirituality. After studying religion at University, and being dismayed at the number of “phony” gurus he has encountered, Gandhi turned himself into a fake Indian guru to see how easy it is to grow a following. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Gandhi keeps up his act for a couple of months and it’s a fascinating look at human gullibility, our need for spiritual guidance and how easy it is to start up a cult. It’s also a little deceptive and tough on people genuinely looking for support and spiritual guidance - it’s a fine line between a documentary that’s insightful and one that makes people look like fools. Thankfully there are times when even Gandhi looks taken aback by what he’s created.

HIGHER GROUND

Starring: Vera Farmiga, Joshua Leonard, John Hawkes

Directed by: Vera Farmiga

Screening: Saturday 13^th April, 8.30pm

Higher Ground is a drama based loosely on the memoir by Carolyn Briggs, who as a teenager joined an intense Christian religious cult and over time began to question her faith. Farmiga was attached to the project to play the lead role of Corinne but, like most independent films, Higher Ground struggled to get into production. Three years later Farmiga became despondent at the direction the script was taking and decided to withdraw from the project - but instead was offered the role of director as well as Corinne. That she was four months pregnant didn’t stop her from taking on the 26 day shoot. Farmiga takes what she calls, a “gentle” and questioning perspective on religion and cults, rather than a judgmental one. She’s supported by a very able cast including John Hawkes, Joshua Leonard, Donna Murphy and Dagmara Dominczyk - even young sister Taissa shows up playing the younger Corrine in flashbacks. Its an impressive and engaging debut.

ICONOCLASTS

Starring: Lena Dunham and Judd Apatow

Directed by: Michael Bonfiglio, Bruce Sinofsky

Screening: Sunday 14^th April, 7.55pm

This is a great television series produced by the Sundance Channel, which throws a couple of “iconoclasts” or creative visionaries together to chat with each other. It’s a clever way of pulling off the “celebrity interview”, with the talent relaxing more by being in the company of someone they admire or respect. This week it’s the new “it girl” of comedy, Lena Dunham (the Golden Globe winning actress and creator of the TV show Girls), and the man who created the modern “irreverent comedy”, Judd Apatow.