National Geographic Announces “The Cult: One Day In America” Series
At the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, National Geographic announced an expansion of “The One Day in America” franchise, with a new documentary, “The Cult: One Day in America”.
“The Cult: One Day in America” is the story of the largest mass murder-suicide in America, told in real time by those who were there. The three-part series will capture how on Nov. 18, 1978, over 900 people died during a mass suicide at a cult temple run by Jim Jones. Providing insight and context into this cult, we discover how Jim Jones started a progressive society based on Marxist ideals, helping marginalized people who were excluded from society; how his vision became marked by paranoia and fear, leading him to create a colony in the Guyanese jungle; and the final shocking order of mass suicide to his followers. The series taps into a staggering archive, including the Jonestown death tape, the 44-minute live audio that records the entirety of the fatal mass suicide, and the harrowing military footage of the soldiers sent to clear up.
The series will also feature an extensive collection of films by the Jonestown survivors themselves from the months leading up to the tragedy, allowing a rare look into Jim Jones’ secretive cult.
The only voices you’ll hear are the voices who were there on the day and can be seen in the archival footage. There will be archival interviews and first-hand testimony from witnesses giving a unique perspective on what really happened, their version of events, and how they think these experiences shaped them and the wider world. Executive producers are David Glover, TJ Martin and Dan Lindsay.
Courteney Monroe, National Geographic Content President said in a statement about the many new documentaries announced:
“These new documentary franchises exemplify our aim to be the brand of record for events that forever changed the shape of history. Weaving together never-before-seen archive and powerful first-person testimony, these powerful and riveting series will serve as the definitive stories of these momentous events.”
No release date for the National Geographic channel or Disney+ has been announced.
Are you looking forward to watching “The Cult: One Day In America”?
