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Unveiling the mysteries of “Shadowland”: A journey through magic and controversy
A magical beginning in the French Pyrenees
The documentary “Shadowland”, which premiered at Los Angeles’ Beyond Fest on October 5, was initially envisioned as a heartwarming tale set in the enigmatic French Pyrenees. This region, steeped in mysticism, has long attracted spiritual seekers from all walks of life, drawn by the allure of the Holy Grail and the promise of supernatural encounters.
One such seeker was the cult director Richard Stanley, who claimed to have seen the local deity known as the White Lady. His experiences earned him the respect of the close-knit community, where he also worked as a tour guide. Stanley, known for his horror films like Hardware and Dust Devil, had taken a long hiatus from feature filmmaking after being fired from The Island of Dr. Moreau. He made a notable comeback with Color Out of Space in 2019, starring Nicolas Cage.
A twist in the tale
Kalle Kinnunen, co-writer and producer of “Shadowland,” recalls, “The film we set out to make in early 2021 was about ‘the Zone,’ as Stanley calls the region, and the people seeking healing in that world of magic and make-believe.” However, during the crew’s first shooting trip, allegations of domestic violence, assault, and battery were posted in a blog by Scarlett Amaris, Stanley’s former partner. Stanley vehemently refuted these claims, citing a court case in France that he says supports his version of events.
Instead of abandoning the project, the Finnish team decided to confront Stanley. “The allegations turned him into the film’s antagonist,” Kinnunen explains. Director Otso Tiainen adds, “We had planned a documentary about how this place heals broken souls and gave him the power to make his comeback. Instead, he was the absolute opposite of the noble and humble knight that had been touched by the White Lady.”
The complexities of Richard Stanley
“Richard Stanley is a master of self-mythologizing,” Kinnunen notes. “He has reinvented himself at least three times: first as the underdog hero fired from ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau’ in 1995, then as a young wunderkind director who lost his Hollywood career to become an anti-establishment genius, always in search of a new production. In reality, he was a tourist guide in the Montségur region, where he conveniently had a supernatural experience at a castle.”
Initially, Stanley’s accusers were reluctant to speak with the filmmakers. “No wonder. It looked like we’d been making a documentary inside Stanley’s sphere,” says Kinnunen. However, as they waited for the legal process they managed to establish trust with Amaris and other ex-partners. “We realized that the story arc of the seekers in the film is also our arc. We wanted to love the region, and we still do, but we almost became myth-makers and enablers in service of Richard Stanley.”
The legends of Montségur
The region of Montségur is rich with legends. “Montségur is said to be the Grail castle, Rennes-les-Chateau has the key to finding the Ark of the Covenant, and there is an underground UFO base in the area. Even Mary Magdalene is said to have fled to the Pyrenees after the crucifixion of Jesus,” says Tiainen. Kinnunen adds, “The region was a major center for Catharism, a Christian movement that opposed the Pope and the kings of France in the 13th century. People project whatever they want onto this rebellious religion. The Cathars are good for history buffs, occultists, New Agers, and hippies alike.”
A spiritual journey
“I believe it’s a spiritual film, but not in the traditional sense,” says Tiainen. “My interest has always been in marginalized individuals and the fringes of society. I saw intriguing characters and a common thread: a shared trauma. Many of them have experienced something that has distanced them from mainstream values like money, career, and family. When you lose everything and start anew, faith can become a beacon.”
The seekers in the film often draw inspiration from well-known stories. “They love ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Conan the Barbarian,’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’ as much as they love Arthurian legends or cryptic local mysteries. In this region, your everyday life can be a mixture of ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’ and a Dario Argento film,” Kinnunen explains.
The ongoing saga
In Stanley, the link with the world of movies and pop culture continues, albeit not in the way the “Shadowland” team had originally envisaged. Sam Lake executive produces “Shadowland” alongside Mark Lwoff and Misha Jaari of Helsinki-based Bufo, recently behind Aki Kaurismäki’s hit Fallen Leaves.
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