Souls of Totality is a 2018 short about two members of a cult who believe if they die during a solar eclipse their souls will be taken to paradise.
One of the central tenants of any movie about cults is, typically, the rescue from or escape of someone ensnared in the beliefs of a ring leader who is promising greater glory in the afterlife. What makes these movies generally so captivating, or at least a little confounding, is that they have truth on their side, with cults in the real world setting the example. From Jonestown to Heaven’s Gate and more, events of mass suicide in the name of a higher source have left many families devastated but more than that, created a media fascination that continues to this day.
Richard Raymond‘s newest short film, Souls of Totality, has many of the conventional landmarks of this admittedly curious genre, though is far less interested in the recruitment and preachings of the belief that leads to death on planet Earth than the personalities of two caught up within it. Beginning in the back of a stripped out school bus, a man, known only as Guy 3 (Tom Cullen) and a woman called Lady 18 (Tatiana Maslany) wake in the dim light of a new dawn sun radiating in a window, discussing a list of ‘miss, not miss’ things in life. It’s the start of very enlightening conversation.
They are wearing matching clothes of white t-shirts and grey sweats, obviously preparing for some kind of departure. As they head into the center of a gated compound, we meet more similarly dressed while the pair are given the task of heading to the local grocery to pick up from a list everyone’s last material thing on Earth (think Twinkies). Seems they all have a date with destiny for when the solar eclipse arrives later that day, it will open a portal for those prepared to take them to paradise. However, Lady 18’s about to get some troubling news.
What’s most effective about Souls of Totality is it immediacy, with us dropped right into the process, given no setup or exposition, allowed to fall right into the story with smart dialogue and clever visuals. This couple is clearly very much involved with each other, even though it’s even more clear that personal identity has been worked out of the community. Lady 18 is suddenly faced with a new challenge, one she’s not all that prepared for, and it’s thrown off just about everything she believes in, or at least it feels that way. Raymond and his team have a few surprises in store, especially with a terrific last shot that hints at some startling possibilities, and maybe a few opportunities for wider interpretation. I know I have my ideas.
Filmed during an actual solar eclipse in a beautiful single take sequence, it’s Cullen and Maslany who leave the stronger impression, their natural presence and deeply emotional connection giving this terrific authenticity. While we never really get all that embedded into the philosophy and preachings of the cult, it’s teachings are nonetheless convincing, the gleeful collection of followers keeping the peripheral alive with a bit of suspenseful preparation. It’s quite affecting to see worn-out cult tropes rolled out with such punch.
Souls of Totality is a clever and moving little story with a well-earned twist, Raymond proving himself a smart storyteller well worth keeping eyes open for. At just about 17 minutes long, it’s a challenging film that stokes many of the more natural questions one might have about cults while giving it a bit of a flip by the time it ends. Haunting and surreal, this, like cults themselves, has more questions than answers. In this case, that’s pretty darned cool.