'Going Clear' a clear winner at Creative Arts Emmys

Alex Gibney's film on the Church of Scientology wins major awards from TV Academy

The Church of Scientology will not be pleased with the results from the Creative Arts Emmys.

Alex Gibney's film Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, which attacks the religion and several of its most famous adherents, won several Emmys on Saturday, including the top honor for Documentary or Nonfiction Special. It also won Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming.

In the directing category Gibney bested some tough competition, including Laura Poitras, who won the Oscar earlier this year for citizenfour and Andrew Jarecki, director of the acclaimed HBO miniseries The Jinx.

Gibney's film is based on Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright's book of almost the same name (Wright's subtitle is "Scientology, Hollywood & the Prison of Belief), which paints an unflattering portrait of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. The book and the film contain interviews with numerous ex-Scientologists including Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis and actor Jason Beghe, both of whom now describe Scientology as a cult.

In 2013 the Church wrote a response to Wright's book, saying it relied on the accounts of "confessed liars."

Mr. Wright’s book is so ludicrous it belongs in a supermarket tabloid.


--Church of Scientology International

It went on to say, "Mr. Wright's book is so ludicrous it belongs in a supermarket tabloid. The book is an error-filled, unsubstantiated, bigoted anti-Scientology book. Mr. Wright ignored the real story of Scientology in favor of stale allegations..." 

Gibney's film hews very closely to the book, but delves into further detail about Scientology's relationship with its most famous practitioner, Tom Cruise. The film claims the Church concocted a plot to break up Cruise's marriage to Nicole Kidman and to turn their adopted children against her. Like the book, it suggests Cruise accepted lavish gifts from the Church, including customized vehicles and motorcycles tricked out by Scientology faithful who earned minuscule wages for the work. The Church has denied those allegations.

Looking good Alex Gibney congratulations on your 3 Emmys for Going Clear. pic.twitter.com/HHnmOpIxEn

— Donna Daniels PR (@DDPRLLC) September 13, 2015

The best answers from #GoingClear director Alex Gibney's Reddit AMA about Scientology: http://t.co/uHmUNTVzNj pic.twitter.com/YrNY3QJXJD

— New York Magazine (@NYMag) September 10, 2015

#Emmys sweep for Alex Gibney: Best documentary, best writing, best direction for his #Scientology film 'Going Clear' http://t.co/lhXxyRSNLn

— Tony Ortega (@TonyOrtega94) September 13, 2015