The Holy Ghost People

A 1967 American documentary film directed and narrated by Peter Adair. A groundbreaking example of cinema verite, the film explores the religious fervor of a small Pentecostal congregation in rural West Virginia. The church services include snake handling (mainly copperheads), speaking in tongues, faith healing, and singing, with meetings lasting four to six hours multiple times a week. Adair's camera captures interviews with congregants who describe their experiences of salvation through the Holy Ghost, and the film culminates with a ceremonial handling of poisonous snakes — ironically, it is the preacher who gets bitten. The film has entered the public domain and is available at the Internet Archive.