Since the beginning of time, humans have been obsessed with secret societies, elusive clubs, and cults. Many of these organizations are steeped in privilege and exclusive access, while others have become strongholds for tyrannical leaders who brainwash their followers for their own personal purposes. People begin these sorts of organizations for all types of reasons. When Jeff Hull created Latitude Society in the early 2010s, he wanted to do something distinctive. In his documentary film, In Bright Axiom, filmmaker Spencer McCall unpacks the secret society which shuttered its doors in 2015. The film looks to explore the belief system behind Hull's idea, what exactly caused Latitude's downfall and why so many former members are still profoundly enamored with it.
By the time the San Francisco/Oakland based society closed in 2015, it was a well-known secret. The members indulged in symbols and rituals that many of us only read about in books or see on film. Latitude members seemed to thrive off of creating these unique experiences for one another. Though Latitude has been closed for years, In Bright Axiom, make it clear how much reverence some of these former members still hold for the group in their minds and hearts.
Beautifully shot, one of the best things about In Bright Axiom is that it does not immediately present as a documentary. The viewer might, at first, think they are watching a fictional piece or even a mockumentary. Yet, though they remain nameless, former members speak in awe about the society that allowed them to create magic for themselves in alluring rooms, libraries, and complex puzzles. However, since the film is a documentary, and should in theory provide straight-forward answers, its message becomes a bit muddled.
Though the invitation into Latitude was alluring in all of its white-card and non-descript glory, none of the former members, nor even McCall seems to be able to articulate exactly what Latitude was, nor what purpose it served. Instead, In Bright Axiom presents the members as a group of people looking for ways to conjure up excitement and a bit of chaos in their lives. From the way the film depicts it, Latitude was an elite social media platform come to life.
Since McCall is willing to provide very little information aside from members' initial indoctrination experiences, the documentary stumbles. It should also be noted that Hull is an executive producer of the film, which means that there are unquestionably some biases in how In Bright Axiom is presented. Because the film seems focused on maintaining some of Latitude's elusiveness, we never truly understand what this society is or is meant for. Instead, McCall depicts Hull as a Professor character (portrayed by Geordie Aitken) who seems to be on his own very personal journey, which is focused on convictions that neither the audience nor the former Latitude members can keep up with.
In Bright Axiom certainly isn't a bad film, it simply feels like the director and subjects are in on a joke or an idea that the audience can't even begin to unpack. It might boil down to McCall being too close to the subject matter. In theory, Hull wanted to create a for-profit business with all of the dressings and allure of a living and breathing art installation, and he nearly succeeded. The trouble was, as is with this film, is Hull didn't quite know what his mission was. Instead, he chose to focus on how it looked.
Former members have written long articles about their time in Latitude for outlets like Vice and Longreads. If you're looking for actually concrete answers about the society, then you'll find what you're seeking there. For its part, In Bright Axiom is simply a beautiful tapestry without much context.
In Bright Axiom will be released on July 14, 2020 on VOD platforms such as iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, Tubi, etc. in the US and Canada.