Former cult videographer Will Allen takes us into Holy Hell

How do people get drawn into cults? And if it gets strange or scary, why don't they just leave? 

Filmmaker Will Allen has explored these questions firsthand. Today he joins Shad to discuss his revealing documentary Holy Hell. The film, built of footage shot by Allen while he was in the Buddhafield community, chronicles the 22 years he spent in the cult-like group under the leadership of a charismatic master named Michel. 

Allen describes how his initial impression of a "beautiful and loving" community gave way to a much more ominous situation, and how he finally gathered up the courage to leave. 

"We were dropping our egos. We were dropping our minds. And that included our critical thinking," says the filmmaker, thinking back to those times.

"It never registered as abuse until later." 

WEB EXTRA | Watch the trailer for Holy Hell below.