‘The Synanon Fix’ Documentarians Unpack the History of the Infamous Rehab Turned Cult

The phrase “not an obvious cult” doesn’t really get thrown around too much. Something either is a cult, or isn’t. And yet .. .there always seems to be some sort of grey area, especially when it comes to the self-help realm.

The filmmakers behind four-part docuseries “The Synanon Fix” revealed during the IndieWire Studio at Sundance, presented by Dropbox, that the infamous Santa Monica facility did in fact help hundreds of people before it descended into unhinged mayhem. The series debuted in the episodic section at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

“Part of what drew us to the story was it wasn’t an obvious cult,” director/producer Rory Kennedy told IndieWire’s Ryan Lattanzio. “Some people consider it a cult, some people don’t, and the fact that it has its roots starting as this drug treatment program in Santa Monica in 1958 … it was enormously innovative and forward-thinking.”

Synanon was the first residential drug treatment in the U.S. and treated a diverse clientele. The center had its pillars of no drugs, alcohol, or violence, and later became a hub for celebrities like Lucille Ball and Jane Fonda, who were just “hanging out” on the property, according to Kennedy.

“It was a place that saved people’s lives,” she said. “So to us, it is much more complex and nuanced than maybe a traditional cult series because it had so many positive aspects to it.”

However, as Kennedy explained, “by the end, [members] had bought more firearms than anyone in the history of California and there was an open bar in the facility,” directly contradicting the core tenants of Synanon.

Screenwriter/producer Mark Bailey added that the story behind Synanon and the dangers of a false sense of community under a sole leader are especially relevant today.

“If you look across the contemporary landscape, there is this need for a cult of personality and people attaching themselves to charismatic leadership,” Bailey said, adding of Synanon specifically, “Right out the gate, it was always this darling of the political and entertainment elite. People referred to it as the ‘Miracle on the Beach.'”

It wasn’t until the docuseries was almost complete that the Synanon center allowed for unprecedented access to its archives and audio recordings. The series features interviews with former members, including those who even were used as extras by prominent filmmakers in the 1970s while receiving treatment.

Check out the full interview above.

The 2024 Sundance Film Festival runs January 18 – 28. See the full list of IndieWire Studio at Sundance, presented by Dropbox, lineup here.

Dropbox supports and champions independent makers, crews, and teams behind the camera who bring their unique perspectives to life at the Sundance Film Festival. We’re proud that over 60% of films at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival leveraged Dropbox in their filmmaking process.It takes a monumental effort for film projects to go from ideation to completion, and Dropbox is dedicated to helping filmmakers get their projects across the finish line faster. Filmmakers used Dropbox as one organized homebase to keep video files secure, to remotely collaborate with teams around the world, and to get real-time video feedback with Dropbox Replay.