In 1994, a strange sect called “The Order of the Solar Temple” made headlines around the world when 53 of its members died in Canada and Switzerland. The Swiss police claimed it was a mass suicide, but many people doubted it. Then, just a year later, 16 more members of the sect died on an isolated plateau in France. The deaths sparked an international media frenzy, with journalists clamoring to understand what had happened and why.
The sect’s members included many wealthy and influential people, and the circumstances surrounding their deaths only added to the intrigue. To this day, the mystery remains unsolved, and no one has ever been tried for the alleged murders.
The documentary “Death of the Solar Temple” takes a chilling look at this strange and mysterious cult. Through interviews with the only survivor of the Canadian incident, Thierry Huguenin, the film attempts to shed light on what drove these people to their deaths.
What emerges is a disturbing picture of a group obsessed with death and the apocalypse. The Solar Temple was a secretive and highly hierarchical organization that combined elements of Christianity, New Age beliefs, and secret societies. Members were required to surrender all their possessions and follow the group’s strict rules and rituals. They believed that they were part of a divine plan to save the world from a coming cataclysm, and that their deaths would somehow bring about a new age of spiritual enlightenment.
The film also explores the group’s links to other controversial organizations, including the far-right French political party, the National Front. It appears that some members of the Solar Temple were also involved in other esoteric and extremist groups, adding another layer of complexity to an already puzzling case.
Overall, “Death of the Solar Temple” is a compelling and thought-provoking documentary that raises many questions about the nature of cults and the limits of human belief. It is a disturbing and haunting reminder of the dangers of fanaticism and the importance of remaining vigilant against those who seek to exploit our deepest fears and desires.