Hail Satan?

'Hail Satan?' is a documentary following the Satanic Temple, a nontheistic religious group founded in 2013 stating an intention to refine the practice of satanism and challenge the huge influence of evangelical Christianity on the state. The documentary follows co-founder of the Satanic Temple, Lucien Greaves, as he attempts to protest the omnipresence of Christian values in public and political life in the United States and campaigns for a statue of Baphomet to be erected next to the monument depicting the Ten Commandments in Arkansas. Documentary maker Penny Lane ('Our Nixon') challenges public perceptions of satanism by exploring their liberal outlook exhibited by their pro-LGBTQIA+ support and their rejection of anti-abortion protests. It shows a more humane side to the satanists by exploring their initiatives to provide the homeless with dry clothing, and encourage a more environmentalist outlook through litter-picking events. Satan, the documentary forces audiences to consider, has always been painted as the bad guy, but is this simply because he railed against authority? In a world in which religious extremism and conflict prevails, Lane's documentary explores why alternatives to the typical churchgoing experience are being actively explored and embraced.