Documentary backdrop image for The King Does Not Lie (1993)

Documentary backdrop image for The King Does Not Lie (1993)

199343 minPGdocumentary

The King Does Not Lie

199343 minPGdocumentary

A Puerto Rican community gathers for the initiation of a priest of Shango, the "Thundergod," in a series of traditional Yoruba rituals.

Genres

Directors

Elisa Mereghetti,

Synopsis

A Puerto Rican community gathers for the initiation of a priest of Shango, the "Thundergod," in a series of traditional Yoruba rituals.

People

Elisa Mereghettidirector

Judith Gleasondirector

Synopsis

A community of santeros in Puerto Rico gathers for the initiation of a priest dedicated to Shango, the Thundergod of Yoruba. The event is marked by traditional rituals and chants sung in Yoruba. The documentary presents Santeria, an Afro-Cuban religion that has faced prejudice and harassment. Rituals rooted in African heritage are shown in the context of contemporary Puerto Rican life. The film runs for 43 minutes and was released in 1993.

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

The Last Initiation: Twenty Years of Trust, One Sacred Ritual (2026)

The Last Initiation: Twenty Years of Trust, One Sacred Ritual

In Papua New Guinea's Kapo island, photographer Marc Dozier documents a sacred initiation ceremony of the Kombe tribe, reflecting two decades of trust and cultural continuity.

The Last Initiation: Twenty Years of Trust, One Sacred Ritual

Witchcraft, Exorcism, Shamanism: the Most Extreme Rituals in the World (2023)

Witchcraft, Exorcism, Shamanism: the Most Extreme Rituals in the World

Fernand Yodé, a self-proclaimed prophet in Gabon, collects €3,000 from his followers during a ritual to expel a water demon from a woman.

Witchcraft, Exorcism, Shamanism: the Most Extreme Rituals in the World

Benin : The Guardians of the Spirits (2024)

Benin : The Guardians of the Spirits

50 million people in Benin practice voodoo, where ancestral spirits influence daily life and cultural traditions amid the pressures of modernization.

Benin : The Guardians of the Spirits

The Return: The N'Duep Healing Ceremony | West Africa Documentary | Full Movie (2025)

The Return: The N'Duep Healing Ceremony | West Africa Documentary | Full Movie

In Senegal, the N'Deup Healing Ceremony features intricate dances, millet offerings, and rhythmic drumming, all guided by the priestess's litanies.

The Return: The N'Duep Healing Ceremony | West Africa Documentary | Full Movie

More Than Ruins: What It Means to Live as Maya Today (2026)

More Than Ruins: What It Means to Live as Maya Today

Mayan spirituality is experiencing a revival in Guatemala, as ancestral rituals and beliefs are reclaimed amidst tensions with dominant Christian practices.

More Than Ruins: What It Means to Live as Maya Today

The Sentinels of the Spirituality in Benin (2023)

The Sentinels of the Spirituality in Benin

50 million people worldwide practice Vodun, with many in Benin fighting to protect their spiritual heritage and traditions amid modern challenges.

The Sentinels of the Spirituality in Benin

Christopher Baker: The Soul of Cuba (2012)

Christopher Baker: The Soul of Cuba

Christopher Baker explores Cuba's vibrant culture and its spiritual practices, including an encounter with the saints of Santera.

Christopher Baker: The Soul of Cuba

El Yunque National Forest: El Chupacabra (2024)

El Yunque National Forest: El Chupacabra

El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico is examined through interviews and reenactments that focus on the legends of El Chupacabra.

El Yunque National Forest: El Chupacabra

The Makishi Masquerade I Slice (2021)

The Makishi Masquerade I Slice

The Makishi Masquerade in Zambia celebrates the initiation of boys into manhood, but rising costs threaten the survival of this 500-year-old tradition.

The Makishi Masquerade I Slice

Rare Uncensored Footage of the Secret Rituals of Brazil's Mehinaku Tribe (2026)

Rare Uncensored Footage of the Secret Rituals of Brazil's Mehinaku Tribe

In Central Brazil's Xingu National Park, the Mehinaku tribe's annual Piki festival highlights their intricate rituals, gender roles, and spiritual traditions essential for community survival.

Rare Uncensored Footage of the Secret Rituals of Brazil's Mehinaku Tribe

Explore The King Does Not Lie

Where else to watch

Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1993)

Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti

1993•52m•★6.1TMDB

Footage of Voudoun dances and rituals from Haiti was filmed by Maya Deren between 1947 and 1951 and later edited by Teiji and Cherel Ito.

Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti

Mexican Ritual (2012)

Mexican Ritual

2012•53m•★7.4TMDB

A shaman's mystical invocations blend with the protests of electricians on hunger strike in Mexico City's Zócalo, a site of cultural and social turmoil.

Kongo (2020)

Kongo

2020•1h10m•★7.7TMDB

A healer in Brazzaville faces public accusations of black magic, challenging his faith and the trust of his community.

Of Men and Gods (2002)

Of Men and Gods

2002•52m•★4.3TMDB

Over 50 personal interviews reveal the experiences of homosexuals and transvestites in Haiti, focusing on their beliefs about sexual identity and spirituality.

Of Men and Gods

Browse more like this

More Than Ruins: What It Means to Live as Maya Today (2026)

More Than Ruins: What It Means to Live as Maya Today

Mayan spirituality is experiencing a revival in Guatemala, as ancestral rituals and beliefs are reclaimed amidst tensions with dominant Christian practices.

More Than Ruins: What It Means to Live as Maya Today

No digital watch option in your country

Christopher Baker: The Soul of Cuba (2012)

Christopher Baker: The Soul of Cuba

Christopher Baker explores Cuba's vibrant culture and its spiritual practices, including an encounter with the saints of Santera.

Christopher Baker: The Soul of Cuba

No digital watch option in your country

Out of La Negrura/Out of Blackness in the Bronx (2018)

Out of La Negrura/Out of Blackness in the Bronx

2018•24m•★10.0TMDB

Three dance artists collaborate to create an experimental performance that blends salsa, breaking, and Afro-Caribbean techniques in the Bronx.

Out of La Negrura/Out of Blackness in the Bronx

Black Atlantic: On the Orixas Route (1997)

Black Atlantic: On the Orixas Route

1997•53m•★9.0TMDB

A group of freed slaves returned to Africa, where they were viewed as outsiders despite their efforts to reconnect with their roots.

Black Atlantic: On the Orixas Route

Mounted By The Gods (2003)

Mounted By The Gods

2003•1h30m•★8.0TMDB

After nearly ten years of filming, Albert Venzago documented secret voodoo ceremonies and rituals in West Africa, gaining unique access to this culture.

Mounted By The Gods

Carving Thy Faith (2018)

Carving Thy Faith

2018•1h12m•★10.0TMDB

A 12-foot crucifix is crafted by local artisans during the Senakulo, a reenactment of the Passion of Christ in a small Philippine town.

Carving Thy Faith

Fanado (1984)

Fanado

1984•22m•★9.0TMDB

In a Balanta community in Guinea Bissau, Sana na N'Hada films an initiation ritual, later reflecting on his personal conflict regarding the portrayal of these traditions.

Cuba Santa (2017)

Cuba Santa

Conversations with practitioners of the Yoruba religion in Cuba reveal how faith has shaped their lives and experiences.

Browse more by Elisa Mereghetti

View all films →

The words of Ventotene (2019)

The words of Ventotene

2019

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →