The Secret Village 2013

Ali Faulkner as Rachel, a determined reporter, is taken aback when her roommate, Jonathan Bennett as Greg, arrives earlier than expected. Greg explains that his unsupportive ex-girlfriend has kicked him out, and he needs a place to crash while he finishes a thriller screenplay. They are drawn to a small town in the Berkshires that is said to suffer from repeated cases of ergot poisoning. Greg wants to write a story about an insular community with a dark past, while Rachel believes ergot poisoning could explain the witchcraft accusations tied to Salem. The townspeople grow tense with their questions, weary of revisiting the town’s history, but Greg’s faith in Rachel’s instincts pushes her to press further, hoping to uncover something real beneath the legends.

Encouraged by Greg’s confidence, Rachel keeps digging, and she finds a glimmer of help in Paul, Richard Riehle a friendly townsperson who opens up about the town’s history, rumors of ergot poisoning, and a veiled conspiracy involving the elders. Paul cautions that dangerous secrets run deep and that people will kill to protect them. Undeterred, Rachel continues to pursue the truth, convinced that the evidence could illuminate more than the surface stories of witchcraft.

When Greg disappears, Rachel’s fear intensifies. Joe, Stelio Savante, and Jason, Kef Lee, two locals who have taunted her, seem to close in on her. She witnesses Jason allegedly infect younger townspeople with ergot poisoning, while Jim, Tobi Gadison, a friend of Paul, presents evidence that the town keeps the sick imprisoned as suspected witches. Jim promises further proof of a cover-up and cult activity, prompting Rachel to request more time from her editor to investigate. Greg returns and tries to calm things with a dinner invitation, but Rachel accuses him of abandoning her; he reassures her and suggests they seek help from a specialist in New York. She agrees, only to discover that Greg has quietly handed her research to Joe.

Undeterred, Rachel continues her investigation, and Jim guides her to a house where kidnapped victims of ergot poisoning are kept. A tense chase unfolds when Joe corners her and Jason injects her with a syringe. In the aftermath, it’s revealed through flashbacks that Rachel has been suffering from ergot poisoning: Paul and Jim are hallucinations, while Joe and Jason are real townspeople who have been trying to help. Greg has agreed to take her to a specialist in New York. As they head there, Jim makes one last appearance, asking for help, but a pill Rachel swallows causes him to disappear, leaving her to confront the unfolding truth and the danger that still shadows the town.