The Film

Around the World in 80 Lodges meets masons in their everyday life, sharing their history and vision. The documentary visits 80 lodges across five continents, exploring how Freemasonry has been influenced by diverse cultures while maintaining its core traditions. Through intimate access and candid interviews, the film offers a rare look inside communities both ancient and fascinating.

Directed by Tristan Bourlard, the project marks the 300th anniversary of the founding of Freemasonry in London.

The documentary offers an unprecedented look into the global reach of Freemasonry, an organization that has quietly shaped communities across continents for centuries. From its formal establishment in early eighteenth-century London, Freemasonry spread through colonial trade routes, military networks, and cultural exchange. Each region adapted the fraternity's core principles to local customs, creating a rich tapestry of traditions that vary from one country to the next. The film captures this diversity by visiting lodges in their authentic settings, revealing how masons practice their rituals and community work in vastly different cultural contexts around the world.

At its heart, the documentary seeks to demystify Freemasonry by focusing on the human stories behind the institution. Rather than dwelling on conspiracy theories or secretive symbolism, the film presents masons as ordinary people engaged in charitable work, philosophical discussion, and personal growth. Viewers are invited into lodge rooms, community halls, and private gatherings where members share their motivations for joining and remaining active in the fraternity. This grounded approach provides a rare, candid perspective on an organization often shrouded in mystery and misconception in popular culture.

The production team traveled extensively across five continents to capture the full scope of Freemasonry's contemporary presence. Each lodge visit reveals how local history, architecture, and social norms have shaped the practice of Freemasonry in distinct ways. From ornate European temples to modest meeting spaces in developing nations, the visual journey highlights both the unity and diversity within the fraternity. The documentary serves as a historical record of Freemasonry at its tercentenary, documenting a moment when the organization reflects on its past while adapting to a rapidly changing global landscape.

Director