First Reformed

First Reformed is a 2017 American drama film written and directed by Paul Schrader. It stars Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, and Cedric the Entertainer (credited as Cedric Kyles), and follows a Protestant minister struggling with his faith while serving as pastor of a dwindling historical church in upstate New York. Elements of the film allude to Robert Bresson's Diary of a Country Priest (1951), Ingmar Bergman's Winter Light (1963), and the work of Carl Dreyer, as well as Schrader's own script for Taxi Driver (1976).

First Reformed was screened at the 74th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2017, and was released in the United States on May 18, 2018, by A24. The film was acclaimed by critics, who gave specific praise to Hawke's performance and Schrader's screenplay and direction. The film was chosen by both the National Board of Review and American Film Institute as one of the Top 10 Films of 2018. At the Independent Spirit Awards, the film received nominations for Best Film, Best Male Lead (Hawke), Best Director and Best Screenplay, while Schrader's screenplay was also nominated for an Academy Award, the first of his career.