Dances With Films: A Cursed Man (2024)

“A Cursed Man” is a provocative and visually arresting documentary that follows one man’s audacious attempt to uncover the truth about magic.

A Cursed Man, which Premiered at this year’s Dances With Films, chronicles documentary filmmaker Liam Le Guillou’s personal spiritual journey and his quest to prove or disprove the existence of magic.

To do this, he’s decided to seek out practitioners of dark magic and request a curse be placed on him. Because he apparently has a pretty secure and satisfying life, he doesn’t think asking for a blessing could give him answers—good stuff happens all the time. (This brings up interesting conversations about privilege and cultural insensitivity that add depth to the documentary.)

But a curse? That could really be something.

Regardless of how sound you think his logic is (most in the film find it decidedly the opposite of sound), it’s a fascinating journey—mainly because we get to see a variety of intriguing rituals and belief systems that are captivating, regardless of your perspective on the legitimacy of the beliefs.

These rituals are intertwined with interviews with scientists, psychiatrists, and magic practitioners about the power of belief and the psychological effects of feeling cursed.

Though he’s repeatedly turned away, with most adhering to the “do no harm” tenet of magical practice, one practitioner of Hoodoo is willing to give him what he wants—if for no other reason than to have a good laugh at Le Guillou’s expense. The practitioner chuckles throughout the cursing ritual as if in disbelief that someone could willingly subject themselves to potential harm. He seems to say, “If you want to f*ck around, get ready to find out.”

Soon, Le Guillou begins to experience increasingly vivid and disturbing dreams. Though nothing significant has befallen him, he feels like he might be living under a dark cloud. But that’s not nearly enough to offer him any certainty. He needs more evidence that magic is real, and he embarks on a dangerous journey to India and Mexico to double down on his temptation of fate.

His search eventually leads him to a dark Satanic ritual, which comes with its own set of consequences that give him pause about the choices he’s made.

What’s clear is that there are sincere beliefs being explored, and those beliefs and practices are deeply compelling.

However, it’s difficult to know how sincere Le Guillou himself is.

It’s such an odd and inane request that it stretches credulity, especially when he’s confronted with dire warnings and potential consequences like health risks, marital strife, financial devastation, and even death.

If he believes, even a little, it’s a difficult-to-reconcile degree of risk that seems irresponsible. If he doesn’t believe, his actions can easily be viewed as a blatant disrespect of spiritual practice and a mocking spectacle that offers little insight into anything real.

Admittedly, ethical considerations aside, it might just be a cool gimmick for a film.

The invocation of dark forces and the promise that something wicked this way comes is enough to hook a curious viewer eager to see how far into hell Le Guillou is willing to go—and how far he plans to take us with him.

However you interpret Le Guillou’s intentions, and however you judge the means by which he seeks answers we all want, there’s something inherently riveting about this journey that, at the very least, makes this a hell of an entertaining watch.

Don’t go into A Cursed Man expecting concrete answers or some eye-opening revelation.

This is a film far more about the journey than the destination. If you want concrete evidence that magic is real, you won’t find it here.

The documentary ends with the acknowledgment that empirical evidence is impossible. Simple coincidence or a self-fulfilling prophecy is always a real possibility, even if Le Guillou had been forced to face more serious consequences before seeking a magical “out” to his predicament.

While you won’t find answers, you will find a compelling examination of the power of suggestion and our ability to shape reality through our thoughts.

Ultimately, maybe that’s what true magic is; if we can think it, we can will it—for better or worse. The mind has the power to hurt and to heal, to offer both damnation and salvation. As John Milton said, “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven…”

It’s difficult to imagine anything more awe-inspiring or downright terrifying than that.