A hidden place of magic becomes a battleground for seekers torn between self-discovery and obsession.
In a hidden enclave in the French Pyrenees called The Zone, people seek magic and enlightenment in an escape from Western civilization. But when director Richard Stanley joins the group, it’s not long before accusations aimed at him begin to tear at the fabric and soul of an already delicate place.
Director Otso Tiainen’s Shadowland, a fascinating study of an unusual location and its even more unusual inhabitants, is a delicate masterwork which explores individual beliefs and the way they can connect and sometimes blind people – richly demonstrated by the arrival of a famous figure at the enclave, whose claims at spiritual connection are turned into dark experiences through a series of accusations from former lovers and colleagues. Soon, what we see on screen transforms from a simple documentary into a layered story about the dangers of good faith, and a dark night of the soul for these individuals as they start questioning their ideologies.
