Movies Like Souls of Zen: Ancestors and Agency in Contemporary Japanese Temple Buddhism

If you liked Souls of Zen: Ancestors and Agency in Contemporary Japanese Temple Buddhism (2012), a documentary movie directed by Jakob Montrasio and Tim Graf, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Walk with Me (2017)
★ 5.9/10Also documentary
Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, Walk With Me is a cinematic journey into the world of a monastic community who practice the art of mindfulness with Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh.
2
The Secret (2006)
★ 6.6/10Also documentary
Interviews with leading authors, philosophers and scientists, with an in-depth discussion of the Law of Attraction. The audience is shown how they can learn and use 'The Secret' in their everyday lives.
3
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006)
★ 7/10Also documentary
Featuring never-before-seen footage, this documentary delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple, headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass…
4
Voyage of Time: The IMAX Experience (2016)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
A celebration of the universe, displaying the whole of time, from its start to its final collapse. This film examines all that occurred to prepare the world that stands before us now: science and spirit, birth and…
5
Elstree 1976 (2015)
★ 6.2/10Also documentary
A documentary about ten very different lives connected by having appeared onscreen wearing masks or helmets in Star Wars.
6
Powaqqatsi (1988)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
An exploration of technologically developing nations and the effect the transition to Western-style modernization has had on them.
7
Audrey (2020)
★ 7.1/10Also documentary
An unprecedented and intimate look at the life, work and enduring legacy of British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).
8
Koyaanisqatsi (1983)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary
Takes us to locations all around the US and shows us the heavy toll that modern technology is having on humans and the earth. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by…
9
For the Love of Spock (2016)
★ 7.4/10Also documentary
The life of Mr. Spock, as well as that of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played him for almost fifty years, written and directed by his son: Adam.
10
Capital in the Twenty-First Century (2019)
★ 6.5/10Also documentary
Film adaptation of French economist Thomas Piketty's ground-breaking global bestseller of the same name: an eye-opening journey through wealth and power.
11
Billie Eilish - Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) (2026)
★ 8.4/10Also documentary
Captured during Billie Eilish's sold-out world tour, a concert experience from one of the most celebrated and successful artists of her generation, presented in immersive 3D.
12
Deepsea Challenge 3D (2014)
★ 6.6/10Also documentary
Described as being a film about determination, danger and the ocean’s greatest depths, James Cameron's "Deepsea Challenge 3D" tells the story of Cameron’s journey to fulfill his boyhood dream of becoming an explorer…
13
Deliver Us from Evil (2006)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
Documentary filmmaker Amy Berg investigates the life of 30-year pedophile Father Oliver O'Grady and exposes the corruption inside the Catholic Church that allowed him to abuse countless children. Victims' stories and a…
14
Baraka (1992)
★ 8.2/10Also documentary
A paralysingly beautiful documentary with a global vision—an odyssey through landscape and time—that attempts to capture the essence of life.
15
Heart of a Dog (2015)
★ 6.5/10Also documentary
Musician and performance artist Laurie Anderson reflects on the deaths of her husband Lou Reed, her mother and her beloved dog.
16
An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
A documentary on Al Gore's campaign to make the issue of global warming a recognized problem worldwide.
17
Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds (2025)
★ 6.9/10Also documentary
The elite pilots of the Air Force Thunderbirds display exceptional skill, trust and courage during a high-stakes training season.
18
Being James Bond (2021)
★ 7.8/10Also documentary
Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in…
19
First Position (2011)
★ 7.2/10Also documentary
A documentary that follows six young dancers from around the world as they prepare for the Youth America Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world.
20
9/11 (2002)
★ 7.9/10Also documentary
An on-the-scene documentary following the events of September 11, 2001 from an insider's view, through the lens of two French filmmakers who simply set out to make a movie about a rookie NYC fireman and ended up…