This documentary about a kailua cult is causing a commotion. Perhaps the most disturbing part of holy hell the documentary which premiered at sundance earlier this year and is about a west hollywood cult is that life in the group doesnt look that. With will allen, dimitrius pulido, phillipe coquet, david christopher. May 27, 2016 combining interviews with former devotees and chilling buddhafield archives, holy hell charts the cult s rise in reaganera california and the implosion that prompted many members to flee in 2006. I magine spending over twentytwo years of your life believing you are one of the select few who knows the secrets of the universe only to discover the world that you live in is really a brainwashing cult. Holy hell official trailer 1 2016 documentary movie hd in 1959, a young journalist ventures to havana, cuba to meet his idol, the legendary ernest hemingway who helped him find his literary. Holy hell looking at a cult amos lassen will allens documentary holy hell looks at the rise and fall of a spiritual cult as seen though a former members twenty years as that he spent with the sect. Holy hell, a documentary by will allen, is an account of an american religious cult as told by a filmmaker who was right in the middle of it in the 80s, and whose skills were put in service of glorifying it. A film by will allen based on 22 years of footage inside a modern cult from executive producer jared leto. Will allens documentary focuses on his 22 years in the buddhafield cult and its charismatic leader, michel. Anyone watching holy hell, the documentary about the gay.
It began in the 1980s in hollywood, and continues in hawaii today, often recruiting through yoga studios. I am saddened by this attempt to obscure the message of. Will allen, director of holy hell which premiered on cnn last night encores. Holy hell filmmaker will allen followed an eccentric guru from california to texas to hawaii. May 27, 2016 director will allens documentary about the buddhafield, holy hell, seems pretty tame in the beginning. Combining interviews with former devotees and chilling buddhafield archives, holy hell charts the cults rise in reaganera california and the implosion that prompted many members to flee in 2006. It is a strong cautionary tale about the power of narcissistic people who proclaim their goal to lead people to freedom but in reality their only intention is to abuse those who trust them. Holy hell 2016 tvma 1h 42m documentaries an exmember charts his path from idealism to disenchantment in a california cult when alarming revelations about the groups leader come to light. June 9, 2016 what begins as a video memoir evolves into. As a longtime member of the buddhafield cult, filmmaker will allen manages to capture the groups allure and.
Will allen spent 20 years in a cult and all he got was this documentary. Holy hell a disturbing look into the workings of a cult. Buddhafield is a new religious movement mainly known from its coverage in the documentary film holy hell directed by will allen. Allen had spent half his life in the cult when he departed at the age of 44. When a movie that is set to premiere at sundance film festival has an anonymous director, its sure to.
Through a combination of his vast library of home movies and a series of talkinghead interviews conducted with his fellow duped, allen invites audiences to relive all 22 years spent under the spell of a charlatan. Throughout the movies 102 minutes, and during a lengthy interview with allen, phillipe coquet and vera cheiffo, two other former buddhafielders. How one man documented 22 years inside a sadistic cult former cult members documentary details over two decades of mind games and torture inside an l. Holy hell is a 2016 american documentary movie which is directed by will allen the movie is about his experiences as a member of the buddhafield cult for 22 years. Jared leto exec producing cult documentary holy hell variety. Holy hell official trailer 1 2016 documentary movie hd. Apr 05, 2017 holy hell written, directed, and produced by former cult member will allen, holy hell is a 2016 documentary that chronicles allens 22year journey with the group. May 28, 2016 holy hell, a documentary by will allen, is an account of an american religious cult as told by a filmmaker who was right in the middle of it in the 80s, and whose skills were put in service of glorifying it. Holy hell takes viewers on a riveting ride, as the type of manipulation and tactics cult leaders use to control followers is revealed. Sep 12, 2016 holy hell takes viewers on a riveting ride, as the type of manipulation and tactics cult leaders use to control followers is revealed. Jaime gomez cult, michel, buddhafield, age, wiki, biography.
He left amid allegations the guru sexually abused followers. Cult survivor documents 2 decades inside holy hell. The totally insane story of holy hell director will allens. When 22yearold will allen was kicked out of his house for being gay, he found solace temporarily in the buddhafield cult.
In the buddhafield spiritual sect, the leader michel set aside a day called the knowing, where he claimed members could encounter god. Anyone watching holy hell, the documentary about the gay gurucult leader on cnn. Will allen, the movies writer and director, was just out of film school when he. Jan 19, 2016 inside sundances holy hell, with exclusive photographs of cult life at buddhafield. Inside sundances holy hell, with exclusive photographs of. With ryan laplante, alysa king, michael rawley, luke laplante. Allen was fresh out of college and a filmmaker when he joined the buddhafield, a new agebased spiritual group that attracted beautiful and successful people across california. He eventually left and deprogrammed, but lucky for us. The group has been described by some former members as being a cult.
Religious cults have long been a cinematic fascination see. Jared leto has come aboard as an executive producer on the cult documentary holy hell following its world premiere at the sundance film festival, variety has learned exclusively. Many were aimed at the cult itself, like the tragedy of jonestown, or the morbid masssuicide of heavens gate. Holy hell is a 2016 american documentary film by will allen about his experiences as a member of the buddhafield cult for 22 years. Holy hell an exmember charts his path from idealism to disenchantment in a california cult when alarming revelations about the groups leader come to light. Holy hell as a longtime member of the buddhafield cult, filmmaker will allen manages to capture the groups allure and eventual disillusionment from within.
Holy hell is the overthetop, outrageous, sexuallydeviant, blooddrenched story of father augustus bane. Holy hell written, directed, and produced by former cult member will allen, holy hell is a 2016 documentary that chronicles allens 22year journey with the group. This documentary about a kailua cult is causing a commotion in the community holy hell is available for purchase in the itunes store, from amazon prime and netflix and has been shown on cnn. The documentary holy hell, about the buddhafield a modern day cult is not only an expose on this specific cult itself, but the pattern of abuse and reactions of its members while both in and out of the cult also applies to cults and abusive relationships in general. If you are fascinated by cults or a fan of documentaries seek this film out. Buddhafield is a cult mainly known from its coverage in the documentary film holy hell directed by will allen. Mar 17, 2018 he is an actor and known for his work as holy hell in 2016. Holy hell director will allen joined the buddhafield in the 80s. May 27, 2016 perhaps the most disturbing part of holy hell the documentary which premiered at sundance earlier this year and is about a west hollywood cult is that life in the group doesnt look that. Holy hell, inside a cult, via its own videographer. Holy hell is not a documentary, rather, it is a work of fiction designed to create drama, fear and persecution.
Will allen, the movies writer and director, was just out of film school when he joined the buddhafield, a spiritual group. Holy hell is a documentary feature that tells the story of a young filmmaker that joins a secretive spiritual community lead by a charismatic guru. Its a rare thing to have this much inside footage of a cult leader and his followers in action. In the vein of recent alternative horrorcomedies like machete and hobo. Much of it consists of video footage generated by allen when he was a member of the buddhafield, a homegrown religion led by a man named michel. Much of it consists of video footage generated by allen when he was a member of the buddhafield, a homegrown religion led by a man named.
Holy hell documentary unmasks a cult holy hell is a horrifying look at a cult life that one asheville resident escaped. The cult leader known as michel in the documentary holy hell. He is an actor and known for his work as holy hell in 2016. Watch cnn documentary holy hell about buddhafield cult. Sep 01, 2016 holy hell filmmaker will allen followed an eccentric guru from california to texas to hawaii. The film uses footage allen shot during his capacity as the groups videographer and new footage of. Throughout the movie s 102 minutes, and during a lengthy interview with allen, phillipe coquet and vera cheiffo, two other former buddhafielders. A new film follows the buddhafield group of the 80s and director will allen who was in the group talks about how easy it is to get caught up. Inside sundances holy hell, with exclusive photographs of cult life at buddhafield. The cult s leader, who has several names but is typically called michel, is claimed to have abused his followers. Life inside this cult was beautiful, until it wasnt huffpost.
Director will allens documentary about the buddhafield, holy hell, seems pretty tame in the beginning. May 26, 2016 cult survivor documents 2 decades inside holy hell will allen directed the documentary holy hell, which depicts his experience as a videographer and member of the buddhafield cult. Just out of college, a young filmmaker joins a loving, secretive, and spiritual community led by a charismatic teacher in 1980s west hollywood. Cult survivor documents 2 decades inside holy hell will allen directed the documentary holy hell, which depicts his experience as a videographer and member of. With holy hell, a cult survivor shares 22 years of footage. The cults leader, who has several names but is typically called michel, is claimed to have abused his followers. Still, for fans of cult documentaries, holy hell is worth it for its insider footage alone. The totally insane story of holy hell director will allen. Imagine spending over twentytwo years of your life believing you are one of the select few who knows the secrets of the universe only to discover the world that you live in is really a brainwashing cult.
We see stunningly personal archival footage and revealing contemporary interviews with past cult members. Exmembers of buddhafield speak out about the cult depicted. Will allen, the filmmaker who made this documentary from 20 years of recording cult activities, woke up and decided to expose his former guru. The leader of buddhafield is a man previously known as michel, andreas, the teacher or. Holy hell is a hell of a ride into the inner workings of a cult. Feb 01, 2016 jared leto has come aboard as an executive producer on the cult documentary holy hell following its world premiere at the sundance film festival, variety has learned exclusively. His insider document of two decades of life inside the cult, entitled holy hell, combines home movies and official footage from these years alongside new interviews with former members detailing. Holy hell documentary shows how cult leader raped followers for years i magine spending over twentytwo years of your life believing you are one of the select few who knows the secrets of the universe only to discover the world that you live in is really a brainwashing cult. Holy hell official trailer 1 2016 documentary hd youtube.
Twenty years later, the group is shockingly torn apart. Official site for the documentary film holy hell, directed by will allen. Holy hell looking at a cult led by a former gay porn star. Jared leto exec producing cult documentary holy hell. Throughout the movies 102 minutes, and during a lengthy interview with allen, phillipe coquet and vera cheiffo, two other former buddhafielders, the huffington post got an eyeopening look at life inside a cult. An inside look at buddhafield, a west hollywood cult formed by a charismatic teacher in the 1980s that eventually imploded. How one man documented 22 years inside a sadistic cult. The totally insane story of holy hell director will allens escape.
491 1320 114 1297 321 163 805 372 1338 722 908 1332 348 1425 1432 1414 1121 72 1426 918 1214 577 197 236 183 341 1107 568 229 610 941 1038 406