Documentary Feature ~ 91min.

SYNOPSIS

Log Line:  A best-selling Author for 30 years, Carlos Castaneda inspired millions to break free from social dogma, fueling controversy over his work's authenticity and assertions of perceiving non-ordinary reality.  Genius, guru, cult leader or fraud?  No one really knows. Over three years in the making, this shocking expose' explores Castaneda's mythic impact and controversial teachings.  Candid interviews backed with dazzling animation and experimental footage offer an intense visual and intellectual experience.

Synopsis:  A best-selling Author for over 30 years, Carlos Castaneda inspired millions to break free from social dogma, fueling controversy over his work's authenticity and over his assertions of achieving perception of non-ordinary reality, during an apprenticeship with Yaqui sorcerer, don Juan Matus.  Dubbed "Grandfather of the New Age movement" by Time magazine, Castaneda's books earned him a Doctorate of Anthropology from UCLA, world-renowned fame, and harsh criticism from staunch social scientists.

Where fans created the icon, his books created the myth.  Yet when others would have capitalized on status and fame, Castaneda receded, embodying the moniker of "enigma" to such an extreme degree, that it compounded suspicion over his life's work.  To this day, Castaneda's books are ferociously debated at seminars, on internet lists, and on web sites; raising questions over the sincerity of his character, authenticity of his findings and suspicions over his true intentions.

Genius, guru, cult leader or fraud?  No one knows for sure.

Castaneda's dominance over his followers was shattered after his death, and his once loyal followers were left to pick up the pieces of their lives.  Complicating matters further, five of Castaneda's highest ranking women known as "The Witches" vanished without a trace just days after Castaneda's death.  It's presumed they committed suicide in Death Valley but their bodies were never found, leaving the truth of what happened a clouded mystery.   

Now, for the first time, go behind the enigma with former members of Castaneda's Sorcerers Group who offer rare insight into Castaneda's ideology, along with experts in Shamanism, dreaming and mythology.  Abstract imagery and intermixed visualizations invite the viewer to experience Castaneda's non-ordinary reality firsthand and replicate what it was like to be part of the Castaneda phenomenon.