Dissecting The Master

Is the new Paul Thomas Anderson film a veiled look at Scientology?

A journalist in the Toronto International Film Festival press gallery called it the “elephant in the room.”

Is Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, The Master, an attempt to bring the story of the Church of Scientology to film?

Anderson remained mum on the question but says his film is not about a cult. “I don’t consider that we’re dealing with a cult.”

Check out Xtra‘s video interview for more from TIFF, as well as our discussion with activist Kate Bornstein, who talks about her involvement with Scientology.



On occasion, the number of editors and other staff who contribute to a story gets a little unwieldy to give a byline to everyone. That’s when we use “Xtra Staff” in place of the usual contributor info. If you would like more information on who contributed to a particular story, please contact us here.

Keep Reading

Renée Richards at a tennis match

The complicated legacy of Renée Richards

The former tennis player broke barriers for trans athletes in 1977. Then she changed her tune
Supporters of HIV AIDS research participate in the 2025 Toronto Pride Parade

Toronto man set to be the first Canadian cured of HIV

The patient received a stem cell transplant for his cancer that acted as a “double cure” because it contained a rare genetic mutation resistant to HIV
A photo of the outside of the New York Times building in New York City

Only 1 in 5 ‘New York Times’ news stories about trans issues quote actual trans people: report

A new 'Assigned Media' report found that the 'New York Times' rarely cited trans people in coverage about trans issues
A side by side of images from On Our Backs, a lesbian magazine.

The radical legacy of ‘On Our Backs’ magazine

“On Our Backs” filled a void by authentically documenting—and celebrating—lesbian sexuality
Advertisement