In the late 1800s, traveling preacher Robert Sheffey cursed the town of Ivanhoe, Virginia, after witnessing what one female resident describes as “houses of ill repute, fighting, drunkenness, and a rejection of his ministry by the townspeople.” Legend has it that Sheffey condemned the sinful town to sink into the earth and be consumed by the pits of hell. “Whether you believe in it or not, after that happened, we lost everything,” says the same Ivanhoe resident in this short documentary. “We have nothing.” Today, Ivanhoe is even plagued by sinkholes—multiple houses have disappeared entirely into the earth. Read more: https://www.theatlantic.com/video/ind...

"The Curse and the Jubilee" was directed by Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan. It is part of The Atlantic Selects, an online showcase of short documentaries from independent creators, curated by The Atlantic.

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