What is Rael: The Alien Prophet about? Netflix documentary explained

Raël: The Alien Prophet, a shocking new cult-based documentary series, has arrived on Netflix – here’s what it’s about, who’s in it, if it’s worth watching, and everything you need to know about Raëlism.

For outsiders looking in, the complex psychology behind both the influence of cult leaders and the people who follow them continues to draw interest. Archetypes of these elusive groups include the likes of Charles Manson and the Manson Family, Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, and, more recently, NXIVM led by Keith Raniere.

Beyond these well-known cases, there exists a myriad of smaller subgroups that cater to more modern desires and interests. Groups like Twin Flames Universe and Love Has Won tap into contemporary spiritual and self-help trends, offering promises of enlightenment, personal transformation, and belonging in a rapidly changing world. 

These have been the subject of numerous documentaries in recent months, with Netflix producing the latest in this spate of cult-based series. Now that it’s on streaming, here’s everything you need to know about Raël: The Alien Prophet. Warning: Some may find this content distressing.

What is Raël: The Alien Prophet about?

Directed by Antoine Baldassari and created by Alexandre Ifi, Raël: The Alien Prophet is a four-part documentary-series about the Raëlian Movement, a religion led by Claude Vorilhon, aka Raël. 

Check out the trailer below: 

As per the official synopsis: “Featuring interviews with his followers, critics and Raël himself, this docuseries traces how a UFO-inspired religion spiraled into a controversial cult.”

The shocking true story behind Raël: The Alien Prophet

Starting in the 1970s in France, Raëlism’s inception was relatively innocuous, albeit eccentric – the core belief being that an alien species known as Elohim created humanity using advanced technology. However, as time went on – and even today – the movement is characterized by a series of controversies. 

Raël claimed he had been visited by the extraterrestrials and selected as a prophet, whose purpose was to spread their message across the globe. But over the years, and as is explored in the documentary, the practices of the group grew increasingly controversial.

Eventually, they were driven out of France due to their practices. One of the most shocking moments arrived in 1992 when Raël appeared on the French chat show Ciel mon Mardi to discuss the collective’s ideas about sexual freedom. Host Christophe Dechavanne reads out an excerpt from an article published in Raël’s magazine which urges parents to “caress” their children. 

Rather than denying it or making excuses, Vorilhon says, “Yes, these are adults testifying about their experiences… that’s someone’s point of view, we support free speech.” As Dechavanne points out, “You can’t touch kids, end of story!”

After the group relocated to Canada, Vorilhon embarked on sexual relationships with many of the female followers – including a girl who was just 16 years old when she married him. But this was far from the only scandal Raël would be involved in.

In 1997, they launched Clonaid, an organization dedicated to research in human cloning, with senior Raëlian, Brigitte Boisselier, serving as the director. Amid ethical debates surrounding the research, Vorilhon and Boisselier were eventually invited to stand before the US Congress to debate the pros and cons of cloning.

In the end, the House voted against human cloning in America. However, this didn’t deter the group. Far from it – in 2002, Boisselier came out to claim that Clonaid had produced the world’s first human clone in Israel, naming the baby Eve. As you’ll find out in Rael: The Alien Prophet, there’s far more to this story than meets the eye. 

Who’s in Raël: The Alien Prophet?

Surprisingly, Vorilhon, Boisselier, and a number of his followers appear in Netflix’s Raël: The Alien Prophet, where they explain how they continue to spread the message across the globe. 

Alongside the main pair, Raël’s followers interviewed in the docu-series include:

• Jean-Pierre Saulnier
• Nadine Gary
• Yves Boni
• Dominique Saint-Hilaire
• Pierre Gary
• Nicole Bertrand

Another is Damien Marsic, a former Clonaid scientist who has since denounced the group. Additionally, professionals are brought in to give background to the Raëlian Movement, including Georges Fenech, who gives expert opinion on why they were driven out of France. 

Dechavanne gives his thoughts on what it was like hosting the chat show on which Vorilhon made his shocking statements, journalist Jay Weaver speaks about the Congress hearing, and advocate for the alleged cloned child, Bernard Siegel, also speaks in the documentary. 

Finally, another key interviewee is Brigitte McCann, an undercover journalist who joined the cult for nine months before reporting on and exposing its practices. 

As for today, Vorilhon continues to practice Raëlism, having developed a following in the Ivory Coast, as well as Japan where he currently resides. Meanwhile, Boisselier lives in Mexico. Marsic left the group in 2016 and is currently working in China in gene therapy research.

Is Raël: The Alien Prophet worth watching?

Although it’s too early for a Rotten Tomatoes score, Raël: The Alien Prophet is well worth watching if you’re interested in cults and alternative religions. 

What’s impressive about the Netflix docu-series is how much ground it covers while sharing both sides of the story, balancing accounts of events from both existing members and the experts who were involved.

In its review, Heaven of Horror wrote: “I love how they managed to tell this story that spans decades (and is still happening) via both old footage and lots of new interviews with first-hand accounts.”

Raël: The Alien Prophet is streaming on Netflix now – you can find more of our true crime coverage here.