Institute History
Description
Following much preparation, Peter and Lorna are given an address. In the dead of night, they pull off the lonely road and await further instructions. Soon they part with their clothes and belongings. After they shower and clean themselves thoroughly, they are blindfolded and whisked to an undisclosed location, where they descend into a basement. Once downstairs, they perform the complicated handshake and are able to gain entry into the group. With that, the young couple, who have been posing as believers, successfully infiltrate the cult's inner sanctum and meet enigmatic leader Maggie, portrayed by the promising Brit Marling (also cowriter and producer).
What follows is a delicately paced and riveting plunge into a psychological maelstrom of uncertainty and danger. Filmmaker Zal Batmanglij's feature debut crackles with a mesmerizing command of form, offering no easy answers to the elusive search for truth.