Inside Landmark Forum (transcript)
AN UNDER-REPORTED COMPANY
NARRATOR
Landmark Education: To know more about it we did a quick search on the internet. In the Yellow Pages, this company is just a continuing education firm. On its website, this American company, based in San Francisco, provides films that sing its praises. Smiles and applause, the workshops seem to take place in a perfectly good mood.
CLIP FROM PROMOTIONAL VIDEO
“Created in 1991, Landmark Education is one of the global leaders in personal development.”
NARRATOR
The company confirms it is present in 25 countries with more than 475 employees. As of today, Landmark Education has over 700,000 clients around the world. In France, Landmark Education is directed by an HEC [business school] graduate, by this man, Alain Roth. Registered with the Registry of Commerce in 1993, the French subsidiary today occupies offices in the 10th district of Paris.
But as early as 1995, the company’s name appeared in a parliamentary report [Les sectes en France], that listed 172 movements with a cultish nature. Between the river bank suicide and the About-Men Club, is Landmark Education. To establish this list, the Assembly members relied on work conducted by police officers in the General Information Division, where they considered 10 criteria that define a cult. In the investigation notes, there is a question of brainwashing and mind control at Landmark Education.
We contacted the French headquarters by phone, asking to speak with Alain Roth.
ALAIN ROTH
Hello?
REPORTER FROM PIECES A CONVICTION
Mr. Roth?
ALAIN ROTH
Yes, hello.
REPORTER
I’m calling because we are preparing a show –
NARRATOR
At the same moment, the reporter we planted is next to him, in the Landmark Education offices.
REPORTER
- so I wanted to contact you to have a chance to meet with you.
ALAIN ROTH
So, what needs to happen in that case is that you go to our department that deals with the media.
NARRATOR
Impossible to ask Alain Roth the slightest question, he sends us to his superiors in the U.S.
ALAIN ROTH
Listen, you’ll have to speak with them first.
REPORTER
Very well. Thank you.
ALAIN ROTH
You’re welcome.
REPORTER
See you soon.
ALAIN ROTH
Good bye.
ALAIN ROTH (TO STAFF)
OK, well, Yeah, they’re doing a show on cults.
NARRATOR
As soon as the call is over, Alain Roth tells his American superiors about it.
ALAIN ROTH [ENGLISH]
This is Alain Roth. I don’t know if we know each other.
NARRATOR
Negotiations last for a few weeks. In the end, Landmark Education agrees to an interview. But surprise, it will not be with Alain Roth. Instead, the company offers us an interview with this woman, Sophie McLean. Coming from New York for the occasion, here is how she presented the company’s activities to us.
SOPHIE MCLEAN, SPOKESPERSON, LANDMARK FORUM LEADER
It is an international personal development company for which we created this teaching that is known to have a first course called The Forum. 3 days and an evening that examine what it means to be a human being. So, in general, you come and look at your life. You look at your values. You think. It’s a weekend that was designed to examine what a human being is. And it gives extraordinary results in the areas of your life that interest you.
NARRATOR
Landmark Education also wants to point out that its courses are meant for people in good emotional and physical health, as signified in the contract signed by every client.
SOPHIE MCLEAN
People who are not doing well do psychology or psychotherapy. Right? People who are doing well do personal development.
NARRATOR
As for the classification by the French Parliament of Landmark Education as a cult, Sophie McLean disputes it.
SOPHIE MCLEAN
First of all, it’s totally untrue of course, but I will tell you that we learned about it in the newspapers that we were considered a cult. No one did an inquiry. We were not – No one came to observe our seminar.
NARRATOR
According to Sophie McLean, several international experts say the same thing in different studies: that Landmark is not a cult.
SOPHIE MCLEAN
There is this extraordinary person in America, his name is Dr. Raymond Fowler. And we also have someone in Germany, Dr. Nedopil.
NARRATOR
According to her, a French expert also vouches for Landmark Education.
SOPHIE MCLEAN
The expert on cults in France is Jean-Marie Abgrall. We allow you complete freedom, you can take all the notes you want. And then let us know. Make us a report and then tell us – huh? – what you think.
NARRATOR
Jean-Marie Abgrall: A psychiatrist and legal expert, who has, according to Sophie McLean, written a report stating that Landmark Education is not a cult. But Landmark refuses to release this report. To try and learn more, we met with Jean-Marie Abgrall. He says he’s never really taken a stance.
JEAN-MARIE ABGRALL, PSYCHIATRIST, LEGAL EXPERT
It's not true that I said it's not a cult! I neither wrote that it is a cult nor that it's not a cult. I haven't taken a stance.
NARRATOR
According to our information, for his work Jean-Marie Abgrall was paid more than 45,000 euros. He agreed to let us in on the important points of his report. In the report, he says that during a Forum he has not found any element of constraint or allegiance to a charismatic leader. Nevertheless, he confirms that he warned the company about insufficient selection and monitoring of the students at Landmark. He says that such methods could put some participants in danger.
JEAN-MARIE ABGRALL, M.D.
My critique is of techniques that haven't been mastered at all. There is no control of a psychologist. They just put anyone in there, which means that if this guy takes a blow, he leaves alone in a daze, there's no one to take control for him. They don't exchange information - there's no real inspection of the technique. These guys aren't trained, as if tomorrow you set up shop as a psychotherapist. I mean, that's what's shocking
REPORTING
Laurent Richard
Elise Galano
Marc Felix
Jean-Antoine Boyer