As told by her family, friends, and enemies, the meteoric rise, scandalous fall, and unlikely resurrection of Tammy Faye, the “First Lady of the Electric Church,” poses an increasingly relevant question: How did we get the story so wrong?

Having premiered an Academy Award–nominated documentary feature (Murderball) and an animated short (My Biodegradable Heart) at the Festival, director Dana Adam Shapiro returns with Better Angels: The Gospel According To Tammy Faye, a lively, ruminative documentary series that provides fresh insights into the life of American icon Tammy Faye Messner. A larger-than-life personality whose singular visage became a cultural touchstone, Messner and her personal breakthroughs — both high and low — were reflected in the political, religious, and societal news of the day. Shapiro adroitly excavates private and historical artifacts to craft a profile that distinctively centers Messner as the leading woman of her own story.—DC