Feature-length documentary The Kingdom sees journalist Marc Fennell step back into the Pentecostal world he ran away from 17 years ago to uncover the shift driving Hillsong’s decline, and to confront his own raw and complex childhood within the church.
Fennell meets current and fellow former believers who expose the human cost of the Pentecostal juggernaut and explores how allegations of bullying, sexual assault and financial mismanagement have eroded Hillsong’s once mighty empire. He confronts his own past spent in these churches, where he witnessed adults speaking in tongues, falling to the ground, and demons being thrown out of people. He explains why he escaped and why he’s remained largely silent about it until now.
The Kingdom is an SBS News Documentaries production, written, directed and produced by Elise Potaka. Fennell is both presenter and producer, with Una Butorac executive producer and managing editor Lanneke Hargreaves.
Dean Brosche is editor, with Brosche also DOP with Sissy Reyes and Adam Rosenberg. Production manager was Annie Flett.
The Kingdom premieres June 8 on SBS on Demand and June 11, 7.30pm on SBS.