Saturday, October 17
CINEMA VILLAGE
22 EAST 12TH, NY, NY
A Feature Documentary Presentation
THE PROPHET OF ECSTASY
Followed by
A Panel Discussion with Rick Doblin and Guests
Doors @ 1:30 PM
Panel @ 3:45 PM
The Prophet of Ecstasy / Featuring Panel with Rick Doblin and guests.
Director Elias C. Varoutsos
Canada, 102 min
Official selection of the The Psychedelic Film and Music Festival in New York 2026 & Catalina Film Festival 2026
Time:
Saturday Oct 17th : Doors @ 1:30PM
Panel @ 3:45 PM
Presented by Laurus Productions.
THE PROPHET OF ECSTASY explores themes of art, politics and consciousness through the improbable life of Michael Clegg, the former Catholic priest who introduced MDMA to the world - a drug he would later dub ‘Ecstasy’. The documentary will take viewers on a wild ride, from Clegg’s life as an MDMA drug kingpin, to his present-day transformation as an enlightened yogi. It also examines how the destinies of Michael Clegg, chemist Carina Leveriza, and psychedelics advocate Rick Doblin, are inexorably bound with that of the socio-cultural explosion of MDMA through its epic journey of discovery, criminalization, and re-emergence from the shadows.
Panel discussion:
Following the screening, join three leading voices in the psychedelic field for a timely conversation about where psychedelics are headed next — from science and psychotherapy to policy, culture, and the challenges of bringing these medicines into the mainstream.
Rick Doblin, PhD, is the founder and president of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and has spent decades advancing research and public understanding of psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Dr. Gita Vaid is a board-certified psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and psychedelic psychotherapist based in New York. A co-founder of the Center for Natural Intelligence, her work focuses on integrating psychedelic medicine with psychotherapy and psychoanalytic practice.
Dr. Manesh Girn is a psychedelic neuroscientist and Scientific Director of the Center for MINDS. His research explores how psychedelics affect brain networks, consciousness, and cognition, and he has worked alongside leading psychedelic researcher Robin Carhart-Harris at UCSF.
Together, they’ll explore the rapidly evolving psychedelic landscape, what the science is telling us, the future of psychedelic-assisted therapy, and the cultural and ethical questions shaping what comes next.
Reviews of THE PROPHET OF ECSTACY
“This documentary opened up my mind better than any drug would, as it told me a lot of interesting facts and crazy things that happened through this whole drug craze.” (Hollywood North Magazine)
“Prophet of Ecstasy is an interesting story about the rise and fall of a psychedelic drug empire.” (Sean Kelly on Movies)
“The film impressively shows how a stigmatized substance evolved from a socio-cultural explosion in the underground to a beacon of hope in modern psychotherapy. “ (Psychedelia-Stiftung)
“He’s a figure in the psychedelics movement who established ecstasy as a go-to party drug with therapeutic potential — and a lasting impact on the culture. “(CBC DOCS)