In the late 1960s, the Source restaurant on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip became one of the most successful health-food eateries in the country, catering to free-spirited bohemians and public figures alike. The legendary SoCal establishment was the brainchild of Jim Baker, a force of nature who killed a man with his bare hands before he pulled a 180 and changed his name to Father Yod and later to Yahowa, “the sacred name of God.” It didn’t take long before the charismatic founding father of the spiritually inclined health-food movement attracted hordes of hippies who collectively created a full-fledged cult, not to mention a rock band.
The Source Family is a feature-length documentary directed by Maria Demopoulos and Jodi Wille, based on the book The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod, YaHoWha 13, and The Source Family by Source veterans Isis Aquarian and Electricity Aquarian. The movie not only examines Father Yod’s raison d’être, but also chronicles the extraordinary man’s complex relationships with his followers, whose lives were transformed by the unique communal experience.
Flavorwire has scored a number of amazing photographs, courtesy of The Source Family co-director Jodi Wille and chief archivist of the Source legacy, Isis Aquarian. Watch The Source Family trailer below, and click through to see the photos.
The Source Family opens May 1 in 30 cities nationwide, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York.
