Uploaded November 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What it's like growing up in a religious cult WITNESS UNDERGROUND Rockumentary. Creatives behind the film share the challenges of what its like growing up in an insular community, and their motivations to capture it in the Witness Underground Movie, a documentary about the realities of creating a safe space in anticipation of an impending apocalypse, a music community, a recording studio, and an underground artist community spanning 5 states, 17 years, and over 30 albums.
🎬 Watch Witness Underground documentary on Apple Tv, Amazon, Tubi TV, & YouTube + more...
All links to watch:
WitnessUnderground.com
Witness Underground unveils an unexplored music community surviving within a dystopia humanizing the struggle, courage, and artistry of former cult members, using self-expression and art to process the trauma after successfully navigating mind control.
Within the confines of an elusive cult, a vibrant alternative music community thrived, deprogramming themselves through art. Powerful live performances punctuate tragic losses to beautifully illuminate shunning.
A compelling cult documentary of 2024, chronicling an underground music community influenced by mind control tactics. A gripping tale of escape, survival, and finding their voices through self-expression.
The only documentary to humanize cult life & survival via self-expression, musicians triumph over trauma from coerced shunning.
"Jarring, heartbreaking, infuriating ...Movie score 8/10." –Film Threat
"Advocacy with a megaphone" –Bad ASSociation Podcast - Chev Clark
Witness resilience, escape, & healing through vibrant original music.
"Shunning beautifully illuminated" –Chris Gray - Freestyle Distribution
Rate and review:
Rotten Tomatoes:
rottentomatoes.com/m/witness_underground
Amazon - Boost the algorithm
amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CVGPPFZ5
Witness Underground is a groundbreaking christian religion documentary that explores the hidden world of a brutal religion through the lens of music and personal testimony. This compelling witness underground documentary, released as part of the wave of religious documentaries in 2024, offers a unique perspective on the dangerous world of high-control faith communities.
A christian music rockumentary, Witness Underground delves into the lives of artists who found creative expression despite the restrictions of their religious environment.
The witness underground movie chronicles the formation of an underground music scene, showcasing how these musicians used their art as a means of deprogramming and eventual escape.
This WITNESS UNDERGROUND Rockumentary features powerful live performances that punctuate the artists' stories of loss, friendship, and personal growth.
As a cult documentary 2024, it offers raw and honest accounts of individuals leaving religion, making it a powerful leaving religion documentary 2024.
The Witness underground film humanizes the complex experience of cult escape, illustrating how music became a lifeline for those trapped within a restrictive belief system. Through intimate interviews and archival footage, this christian music documentary captures the journey of artists who risked everything to pursue their passion and find freedom.
Witness Underground stands out among religion documentary 2024 releases for its unflinching look at the consequences of self-expression within a high-control group. It serves as a compelling "My testimony escaping a cult" narrative, offering hope and inspiration to others who may be struggling to break free from oppressive religious environments
Short Synopsis:
Witness Underground reveals the insular DIY artist community that emerged within a high-control faith.
The artists at the heart of the music scene have their faith tested in deeply personal ways. They battle for positive mental health and push the boundaries of their religion’s norms, where leaving often means being banned from interacting with your entire family and social circle for life.
Although severely restricted, they create the record label Nuclear Gopher and produce over 30 albums of earnest and personal music that spans singer/songwriter, riot grrrl, psychedelic rock, pop, EDM, shoegaze, and post-rock. Carefully curated songs and live performances punctuate their stories of friendship, deep loss, and personal growth.
"Frequently searing and undeniably confrontational.” –Tone Madison Music Magazine
#documentary #indierock #indiemusic #atheist #faith #faithjourney #independentfilm #filmmaking #musicproducer #apocalypse #musicdocumentary #doomsday #faithingod #ReligiousBeliefs #deconstruction #protestantchurch #christianreligion #movietrailer #ChristianityExplained #watchtower #FreedomFromReligion #exjw #jworg #apostate #jehovahswitnesses #indielabel #culture #jehovahswitness #deconstructingfaith #religionandsociety #IGotOut #ChristianFaithJourney #HealingReligiousTrauma #religiondebate
What it's like growing up in a religious cult WITNESS UNDERGROUND Rockumentary. Creatives behind the film share the challenges of what its like growing up in an insular community, and their motivations to capture it in the Witness Underground Movie, a documentary about the realities of creating a safe space in anticipation of an impending apocalypse, a music community, a recording studio, and an underground artist community spanning 5 states, 17 years, and over 30 albums.
🎬 Watch Witness Underground documentary on Apple Tv, Amazon, Tubi TV, & YouTube + more...
All links to watch:
WitnessUnderground.com
Witness Underground unveils an unexplored music community surviving within a dystopia humanizing the struggle, courage, and artistry of former cult members, using self-expression and art to process the trauma after successfully navigating mind control.
Within the confines of an elusive cult, a vibrant alternative music community thrived, deprogramming themselves through art. Powerful live performances punctuate tragic losses to beautifully illuminate shunning.
A compelling cult documentary of 2024, chronicling an underground music community influenced by mind control tactics. A gripping tale of escape, survival, and finding their voices through self-expression.
The only documentary to humanize cult life & survival via self-expression, musicians triumph over trauma from coerced shunning.
"Jarring, heartbreaking, infuriating ...Movie score 8/10." –Film Threat
"Advocacy with a megaphone" –Bad ASSociation Podcast - Chev Clark
Witness resilience, escape, & healing through vibrant original music.
"Shunning beautifully illuminated" –Chris Gray - Freestyle Distribution
Rate and review:
Rotten Tomatoes:
rottentomatoes.com/m/witness_underground
Amazon - Boost the algorithm
amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0CVGPPFZ5
Witness Underground is a groundbreaking christian religion documentary that explores the hidden world of a brutal religion through the lens of music and personal testimony. This compelling witness underground documentary, released as part of the wave of religious documentaries in 2024, offers a unique perspective on the dangerous world of high-control faith communities.
A christian music rockumentary, Witness Underground delves into the lives of artists who found creative expression despite the restrictions of their religious environment.
The witness underground movie chronicles the formation of an underground music scene, showcasing how these musicians used their art as a means of deprogramming and eventual escape.
This WITNESS UNDERGROUND Rockumentary features powerful live performances that punctuate the artists' stories of loss, friendship, and personal growth.
As a cult documentary 2024, it offers raw and honest accounts of individuals leaving religion, making it a powerful leaving religion documentary 2024.
The Witness underground film humanizes the complex experience of cult escape, illustrating how music became a lifeline for those trapped within a restrictive belief system. Through intimate interviews and archival footage, this christian music documentary captures the journey of artists who risked everything to pursue their passion and find freedom.
Witness Underground stands out among religion documentary 2024 releases for its unflinching look at the consequences of self-expression within a high-control group. It serves as a compelling "My testimony escaping a cult" narrative, offering hope and inspiration to others who may be struggling to break free from oppressive religious environments
Short Synopsis:
Witness Underground reveals the insular DIY artist community that emerged within a high-control faith.
The artists at the heart of the music scene have their faith tested in deeply personal ways. They battle for positive mental health and push the boundaries of their religion’s norms, where leaving often means being banned from interacting with your entire family and social circle for life.
Although severely restricted, they create the record label Nuclear Gopher and produce over 30 albums of earnest and personal music that spans singer/songwriter, riot grrrl, psychedelic rock, pop, EDM, shoegaze, and post-rock. Carefully curated songs and live performances punctuate their stories of friendship, deep loss, and personal growth.
"Frequently searing and undeniably confrontational.” –Tone Madison Music Magazine
#documentary #indierock #indiemusic #atheist #faith #faithjourney #independentfilm #filmmaking #musicproducer #apocalypse #musicdocumentary #doomsday #faithingod #ReligiousBeliefs #deconstruction #protestantchurch #christianreligion #movietrailer #ChristianityExplained #watchtower #FreedomFromReligion #exjw #jworg #apostate #jehovahswitnesses #indielabel #culture #jehovahswitness #deconstructingfaith #religionandsociety #IGotOut #ChristianFaithJourney #HealingReligiousTrauma #religiondebate


![Former Bethel Elder Became a Blues Rocker
Former Jehovahs Witnesses. He was even a long-time elder now, become a blues rocker.
Former Elder in Jehovahs Witnesses, Gary Alt, was even a long-time Bethelite, a worker at their world headquarters called Watchtower (a book publishing company masquerading as a religion). One of his contributions while there was cultural. He was asked to host a monthly music entertainment night at Bethel.
Check out his songs:
Here are a handful of songs you might be interested in. The still IN songs variously have something to do with my exiting the JWs.
[still IN]
Falling Down vocal by Jayway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl 9Y2BJq8
Bleed For You vocal by Jayway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USzsewK8WZs
Spin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8poJf5pTzxE
Whatever (I knew this wasnt a good song when I did it, but I needed one more for my album Not For Sale To Minors and wanted it to be raw-sounding - deliberately done with the angst and minimalist values of John Lennons early solo recordings)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjOZPqdskaA
[OUT]
Never Ending Always vocal by Lori Klein (written for my novel, Force of Will which used the pseudonym Tan Swiftwater - theres an interesting story to the song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbRK0HbqMiM
This Holy Day vocal by post-JW Gayann from NY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OMPcoB9vL0
Wake Up vocal by post-JW Emma-Jade Mechen, daughter of Shane, from New Zealand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LAjNwRe6Gw
Anything else you might be interested in may be found on Spotify by searching for Gary Alt and the following album names, all done when I was JW:
-Tribute
-(Not) For Sale To Minors
-Beef Wellington and the Mad Cows - Masticated Bovine (joint project with JW friend Jayway when I was in)
-Gift of Projection (EP that predicted Art of Survival but has only 2 songs in common with it)
-Art of Survival (my best IMO)
And a couple of relatively recent extra songs that are not on any album:
-Shine a Light
-The Moon is Broken Tonight
-Western Lady - vocal by Rick Barth (YouTube only, not actually released)
-Color Wind (demo only)
Back in the Free World - vocal by Larry Hayden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g0Ch6YYMeg
- Written FOR the JWs back when I was in. I now reinterpret th
Watch now:
http://WitnessUnderground.com (https://witnessunderground.com/)
Watch & Support:
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/witnessunderground
https://Patreon.com/WitnessUnderground (https://patreon.com/WitnessUnderground)
https://YouTube.com/@WitnessUnderground (https://youtube.com/@WitnessUnderground)
Store:
https://witness-underground-cult-documentary-release.pledgebox.com/preorder
Reach out directly:
XJWdoc@gmail.com
-Scott
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~-
Watch Next: Cult members speak out Rock the Watchtower Cult Awareness Conference - WITNESS UNDERGROUND highlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2tYsA9nIXY
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Former Bethel Elder Became a Blues Rocker](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rpk41Qi1RwI/mqdefault.jpg)


![Social impact of Christianity on families Jehovah Witness removal / shunning for birthdays
Social impact of Christianity on families Jehovah Witness removal shunning birthdays
XJW Coming Out original episode
[exjw, jehovahs witnesses, jehovah witness, christian movies, jehovah witnesses]
Watch WITNESS UNDERGROUND on:
Apple TV - Amazon - Tubi TV - YouTube Movies
https://WitnessUnderground.com
Stream on YouTube with this Full Documentary Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSh1p2dV3s8fgd4ST3VNE835oRFYwa-N2
This heartwarming video captures the emotional journey of former Jehovahs Witnesses celebrating a babys first birthday. The new mom, a first-time parent who left the faith a decade ago, hosts a joyous gathering for her child, surrounded by family members who have also broken free from the religions strict rules.
The celebration highlights the stark contrast between their current lives and their upbringing, where birthdays were forbidden and considered pagan. As the baby experiences important milestones, the camera captures the genuine excitement and love shared by the extended family.
An aunt, now a seasoned mother, reflects on her childhood within the Jehovahs Witness community. She discusses the restrictions she faced and how she now strives to nurture her childrens curiosity and ambitions. Her story provides a meaningful comparison to the life she left behind.
The video also touches on the bittersweet reality of fractured family relationships. While the gathering is filled with love and laughter, theres a noticeable absence of relatives still active in the Jehovahs Witness faith. The family discusses the pain of being shunned by their Witness relatives, who refuse to participate due to fear of punishment from their religious community.
This intimate portrayal showcases the real social impact of the Jehovahs Witnesses ban on birthdays. It celebrates the freedom found in leaving the religion while acknowledging the ongoing struggles faced by those who break away. The video serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of these families and their determination to create new, joyful traditions despite the cost
In the month that I shot WITNESS UNDERGROUND, I also shot this with some of my oldest friends as part of the Seed&Spark commitment I made to the the crowdfund backers then to expand XJW Coming Out series after shooing the feature documentary.
This birthday was just happening while I was visiting Madison and these friends so we made a special short video idea come together about a first birthday for a new mom and the implications of that on the kids and to discuss how the active members of the family treat them for doing this with a ten year recap on what life has been like after getting out of the culty faith.
I was out of the religion at 19 but meeting these folks drew me back in. In part to honor that connection but also because we have an enduring friendship, I included the new mom, Jennifer Trucks, in the film WITNESS UNDERGROUND. She originally connected me to Nuclear Gopher folks, showing me the website. The uncle in the background, Mitchel Vandeheuvel, took me to Minneapolis to see a Nuclear Gopher show and meet some of the people in the film in 2001/2. He became a massive part of the film festival run in 2021, even hosting a major screening at the Wisconsin Film Festival when it was nearly impossible to do so during government lockdown safely. It was a massive success!
He then helped to represent Debutante the shunning short filim by Kamila Dydyna, with me at Chicago Irish Film Festival. Im happy to say we are all still friends and all out of the religion.
A lot of the Nuclear Gopher people came through Madison Wisconsin, a 5 hour drive from Minneapolis, in a music migration to Chicago, where the Amazing Fruit Jehovahs Witnesses were making music and on one fateful weekend during Weezers Green album tour after a seven year hiatus, we all collided in Madison at the house that these two sisters and Mitchel were living in for late parties and the love of music.
#jehovahswitnesses #cult #jworg #deconstructingfaith #igotout #recoveringfromreligion #jworguk #documentary #documentaryfilm #documentarymusic #jw #jworgusa #abuseofpower #christianmovies #atheist #atheism #humanist #CultSurvivor #ReligiousTrauma #EmotionalAbuse #FamilyHealing #BreakFree #MentalHealthAwareness #SpiritualAbuse #WomenEmpowerment #HealingJourney #SpeakYourTruth #ExJW #JehovahsWitnesses #Disfellowshipped #CultRecovery #ShunningSurvivor #ExJWCommunity #HighControlGroup #ExCultMember #ReligiousFreedom #UndergroundMusic #Rockumentary #IndieFilm #HealingThroughMusic #DIYMusicScene #RiotGrrrlRevolution #CreativeFreedom #MusicDocumentary #IndieArtists #StopShunning #ExposeCults #NoMoreSilence #SupportSurvivors #FaithDeconstruction #AdvocateForChange #TraumaInformed #ReligiousAccountability #EndReligiousAbuse #CultAwareness
-~-
Cult members speak out Rock the Watchtower Cult Awareness Conference
WITNESS UNDERGROUND highlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2tYsA9nIXY
-~- Social impact of Christianity on families Jehovah Witness removal / shunning for birthdays](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sJnb4uMwXnE/mqdefault.jpg)
![Artists escaping a cult - Healing from a high demand religious sect
Artists escaping a cult. Healing from a high demand religious sect - Pilot documentary episodes of the EXJW Coming Out series of religious cult interviews, Ross Wilkins describes his path out of a high control group, better understood as a cult. This interview started my journey which evolved into our feature rockumentary Witness Underground. [links to watch below...]
XJW Coming Out of the Jehovahs Witness Religion: A Journey of Healing and Freedom
In this powerful pilot episode, we sit down with Ross Wilkins, owner of Queer Plants Cafe, an LGBT-inclusive business. Ross shares his compelling story of leaving the Jehovahs Witnesses and the path to healing hes discovered since breaking free from this high-control group.
Join us as we explore the challenges and triumphs of artists escaping a cult, and witness Rosss inspiring journey of awakening from indoctrination. This episode offers a raw and honest look at the process of healing from a religious sect and finding freedom from a cult.
Rosss experience as an artist escaping a high demand group provides unique insights into the struggles faced by those leaving restrictive religious environments. His story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of personal growth.
Themes explored in this episode include:
- Artists escaping cults and high control groups
- Healing from a cult and religious trauma
- The journey to becoming free from indoctrination
- Challenges faced by ex-Jehovahs Witnesses
This interview is part of our ongoing series featuring ex-Jehovahs Witnesses stories, offering a platform for those who have left to share their experiences. Whether youre interested in religious cult interviews or seeking understanding about religious cults today, this episode provides valuable insights and hope for those on their own journey to cult freedom.
Dont miss this compelling account of one persons leaving a cult story and the path to healing and self-discovery that followed. Subscribe to our channel for more inspiring stories of individuals finding freedom from high-control groups and rebuilding their lives.
Ross and I took a two week journey down with west coast with an ex-cult member friend, as the mesmerizing tunes, of ExJW artists, HighTV, fills the air. Ross opens up about his past.
Check out the Ross Wilkins Playlist.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSh1p2dV3s8d8ttZyHcx2idWFZpNX4o8n
Watch the XJW Coming Out playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSh1p2dV3s8fMX1Nj8niJdMng56owoBKk
Learn More:
https://WitnessUnderground.com
Support by watching our feature Rockumentary WITNESS UNDERGROUND::
https://Vimeo.com/ondemand/witnessunderground
https://Patreon.com/WitnessUnderground
Hes also featured in our Miami Episode, Repulsive Colonialism - Queer Plants Cafe for the Witness Underground Podcast. If you enjoy this series the podcast is a big catch up with him and a celebration of his next chapter highlighting running his own business with his partner.
Note from the director:
This was original attempt at creating something impressive for XJW Coming Out of the Jehovahs Witness Religion, a full year before releasing any content. I filmed this and then returned home to Hanoi, Vietnam to edit it. I spent five months putting this together with loads of help from my international friends there with feedback on story arc, flow, soundtrack and overall the concept of the series.
It was a gigantic project. I still like what I created originally and decided to share it with you. Enjoy this teaser and the full episodes in the playlist. I feel like this was my baby, my thesis at the time and in a way has a lot of my craft tied up in it. Id love to hear what you think of it.
When we first conceived of this idea to capture coming out stories of people whove left the Jehovahs Witnesses, Ross was at the top of our list of people to work with. He helped us to develop our style. We hope weve captured his personality, his perspective and weve done his story justice.
We had a Christmas break coming up and called Ross to see if hed like to join us in this project. He excitedly agreed and we ended up spending two weeks on the west coast: traveling, filming, recording audio, celebrating the holidays in a big way and partying with his friends and family. It was a grand experiment to capture this as well as exciting to now put out into the world.
The entire soundtrack was created by HighTV, a band made up of members who also came out of the Jehovahs Witnesses.
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~-
Watch Next: Cult members speak out Rock the Watchtower Cult Awareness Conference - WITNESS UNDERGROUND highlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2tYsA9nIXY
-~-~~-~~~-~~-~- Artists escaping a cult - Healing from a high demand religious sect](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sM0JB9j6ZnQ/mqdefault.jpg)



