Magical caresses: Sweet Jesus

4 MINUTES

Sarah recalls how sex, religion and shame have intertwined in her mind

The Canadian filmmaker Lori Malépart-Traversy is known for using a charming animation style to address human sexuality in both a frank and playful manner. Part of the documentary series Magical Caresses, which offers candid perspectives on ‘solo sexuality’, Sweet Jesus features a woman named Sarah recalling how, from a young age, sexuality and Christianity have been connected in her inner world. From an early nighttime ritual that combined ‘prayers with caresses’, to an adult preference for ‘thin guys with curly hair and a humanitarian side’, Sarah and Malépart-Traversy tell the story with unguarded honesty and lighthearted humour. In doing so, they highlight how experiences of sexuality, spirituality and shame can intertwine and evolve over the course of a lifetime.

SEX AND SEXUALITYSHAME AND GUILTSPIRITUALITY AND RELIGION

Director: Lori Malépart-Traversy

Producers: Julie Roy, Christine Noël

Website: National Film Board of Canada

Explore more

Photo of a cross in the sky with a blurred rainbow-coloured flag in the foreground.
SEX AND SEXUALITY

Severe joy

I wanted conviction to tell me if I could be gay and Catholic. My convictions told me something bigger

by Will Martino

People dancing closely in dim lighting. The focus is on movement and atmosphere at a night event.
SHAME AND GUILT

Footloose in Havana

In China, I was used to treating my body like a problem. In Cuba, everyone seemed at home in theirs

Syren Chan, as told to Lavender Au

Abstract painting with bold orange, yellow, blue and black curves and shapes overlapping dynamically.
SEX AND SEXUALITY

A kaleidoscope? A milestone? Beyond description? Women put orgasms into words

Directed by Bronwen Parker-Rhodes

An elderly woman in a blue jacket holding a book, smiling warmly at the camera indoors.
SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGION

Converted by Sister Ruth

At a Texas convent, what could a sublimely uncouth sister in her mid-80s teach me about helping people?

by Ronald W Dworkin

Surreal painting of a celestial figure surrounded by angels and clouds, with vivid colours and dynamic movement.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

Embrace conflict, reject authority – William Blake’s radical vision of a meaningful life

Video by Great Books Explained

Painting of a woman in a dark kimono with a bow in her hair, looking at her reflection in a dimly lit mirror.
SHAME AND GUILT

Self-hatred feeds on inner shame. Here’s how to break the cycle

Shame swamps any redeeming traits you might have thought you had. Slow down to interrupt the loops that cause self-hatred

by Troy Seagraves

Photo of an elderly man with a beard wearing a hat and glasses, holding a notebook in a sunlit forest.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION

There’s a nourishing calm in quietly wandering, far from goals and distractions

Directed by Mykhailo Bogdanov

Black and white photo of two elderly women sitting on a wooden bench in a chapel with heads bowed, one has a handbag beside her.
MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION

Find meditation really boring? You’re not the only one

Other practices like sermons, yoga and retreats can also trigger ‘spiritual boredom’. Here’s why it’s normal and even useful

by Thomas Goetz