THE PROJECT:
Filmmaker Lory Ambrosini has been granted unprecedented access to The Hive, an underground, international collective of followers that left the worldwide Transcendental Meditation Organization originated by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, "The Beatles Guru". The group is made up of survivors that span the breadth of 66 years of practicing and teaching in the inner sanctum of the TMO.

Now seniors in their 70s and 80s, these defectors have found one another online and banded together, ready to expose the truth and bring the receipts of the abuse they endured for decades in the Scientology-like organization in order to warn a new generation so they might escape the same fate.

"The Hive" lays bare the sexual exploitation and abuse, brainwashing, financial extortion, fraud, homophobia, psychological and behavioral manipulation, false promises of spiritual and physical transcendence and even murder – all perpetrated in a cult-like environment centered in Fairfield, Iowa and radiating globally in the name of world peace.

Revelatory interviews from around the world serve as a foundation for a lush cinéma vérité 'film within a film' as Hive members 'pass the baton' throughout history, each connecting their story to the last's tale, until we are left with a full firsthand telling of the truth about Maharishi and the TMO, starting in 1959 Los Angeles and ending in present day at Maharishi International University in Fairfield.

A COLLABORATION BEYOND THE FILM

Angie, a participant in the film, began her journey within the Transcendental Meditation movement  in 2022 at Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa.

Upon her arrival, Angie realized all was not as it seemed, found the Hive, and began to uncover hidden truths that validated and parelleled the Hive members version of events.

During her time there, she became involved in efforts to raise concerns, challenge established practices, and advocate for change within the community and used her art as a form of protest.

Now Angie is collaborating with director Lory Ambrosini to launch this fundraising campaign to complete this film and reveal the truth, helping the elders that came before her inform the next generation.

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

"Making this film has been quite the personal odyssey. My immediate problem was twofold. First, the current climate of the industry. It's hard to get anyone to move quickly on finance, least of all for a documentary feature, and most of my subjects were in their late 70s so time was literally of the essence. Second, many people in the film industry practice TM and were seeking to silence these voices from speaking their truth and did not want this movie to be made. It became apparent that this would be an independent film quite quickly and finance would have to be rendered by family and friends or we would miss the window to capture this story in its entirety. I am blessed to work with many consummate professionals who pulled together to make this a lush film, blending anamorphic footage with intimate cinema verite, compelling interviews and rare archival images. The result is a unique storytelling experience and a film I am fiercely proud to have executed with my talented and generous crew who allowed me the artistic freedom to tell an unrefined story."

~Lory Ambrosini

THE GOAL

The project has been fully shot and produced with the intention of a return to the era of the “documentary film event” and has been contemplated as a full length feature. The film has a current run time of 2 hours and 34 minutes. Final letterbox framing will be 2.39:1, the largest available. No additional production is required. The film also boasts a lush original motion picture soundtrack by Grammy-nominated musician and producer Josh Ramsay (Carly Rae Jepsen/Nickelback).

At this time we are at Rough Cut 3, as we work to complete titles, add B roll and GFX, clear archival, and head to final color and sound. The Rough Cut is in consideration for the 2027 Sundance Film Festival, so time is of the essence.

This is where you come in.

Our friends and family investments total $540,000 thus far. We are  $250,000 short of completion. This will cover clearing archival, creating graphics, and final color and sound renders. We estimate another 5 weeks of work until the end product is rendered. 

We must stay outside the Hollywood system to tell the the unrefined truth. We cannot do that without YOU!
We will be offering rewards for donations including limited edition prints, phone chats with Hive members and the filmmaker, producer credits,  film premiere seats and more.