When renowned US film director Paul Thomas Anderson and production designer Florencia Martin visited the Sisters of the Valley farm in California’s Central Valley, they were stunned. They were scouting locations and finding inspiration for their new film, and that work, the lush greenery, those open landscapes, those distant mountains… all that timeless mystique remained etched into their retinas.
“The connection was very organic,” Sister Karina readily acknowledges, amid the renewed attention surrounding One Battle After Another, the Leonardo DiCaprio-starring film that just won six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Sister Karina was formerly with the Sisters of the Valley and is now with Sisters of New York, a separate organization with no affiliation or direct relation to Sisters of the Valley.
So who are the Sisters of the Valley? Essentially, an international community of women (and allies) united by a common purpose: to defend women’s sovereignty, honor spirituality, and protect the cannabis plant as sacred medicine. They say it’s not a traditional religious order, but an independent spiritual movement with its own lineage that, they claim, “predates conventional religious structures.”
PTA was already familiar with the work of the Sisters of the Valley and respected the cultural impact surrounding their movement. However, both Anderson and the Sisters of the Valley knew that the farm wasn’t suitable for filming such a production, but they continued the conversation and stayed in contact. There was “something” that drew him to the Sisters… Finally, they were invited to participate in the filming, to bring their ritual elements, and to be part of the ensemble that appears in the scenes filmed at La Purísima Mission State Historic Park in Santa Barbara County.
“It’s a historic site with colonial architecture and expansive grounds, which allowed us to create a larger-scale film set without losing that earthy and spiritual feeling that characterizes our spaces. Although they are different places, they share a similar energy,” explains Sister Karina, who at the time was involved in strategic communication, creative direction, brand expansion, and cultural vision around the Sisters of the Valley.
“From the very beginning, there was a dialogue of admiration and respect for our work and for a living culture that has been developing for ten years since our founding. And that is now reflected, albeit fictionally, on the big screen,” Sister Karina proudly states regarding her contribution to the film. In fact, the presence of the “Sisters of the Brave Beaver,” who are part of the film’s plot, is directly inspired by the Sisters of the Valley. “We were physically on set, acting and becoming part of the living environment that surrounds the story.”
In that sense, the art and production team was extremely careful and meticulous in constructing the space. “Many details and scenes that didn’t make the final cut aren’t directly visible on screen, but they feel palpable in the world built with such detail, so much so that we feel like we’re in such a familiar environment. The way the elements were arranged helped the place evoke the same energy we experience on our farm, only amplified for the screen,” Sister Karina acknowledges.
In One Battle After Another, a fable in which a fallen revolutionary lives in a state of paranoia and must confront his nemesis while searching for his missing daughter, cannabis emerges not only as a visual element, but stands as a living presence. Here, rebellious nature and activism begin to break down barriers. It is there, then, that the Sisters of the Valley truly feel at home. “What we appreciate most is how Paul Thomas Anderson weaves the presence of cannabis into the story organically. Not as a gimmick, but with the same reverence with which we relate to it, as part of a living ecosystem and community,” the activist emphasizes.
Of course, for the Sisters of the Valley, spirituality and the plant are deeply intertwined. Their use of it (including ointments, drops, and capsules) is “an offering of connection, healing, and grounding.” They firmly assert: “It is a sacred plant that has accompanied humanity for centuries as a tool for connection, healing, and expanding consciousness.”
Every step, from seed to harvest, is infused with their prayers, chants, and healing intentions. The reverence with which they cultivate and prepare their medicine is not a symbolic gesture: it is a deep and real commitment that they take very seriously. “Our spiritual practice is not an aesthetic or a trend: it is the heart of our community. Every ceremony, every planting, every harvest, and every preparation of our medicine is guided by the natural lunar cycles and by a deep respect for Mother Earth.”
For all these reasons, seeing themselves portrayed in Anderson’s feature became “a profoundly important experience.” Sister Karina notes that Anderson placed them in the spotlight “with great love and grace,” especially in the scene where Colonel Lockjaw, played by Oscar winner Sean Penn, arrives at the Chupa Cabra Mountains searching for Willa, DiCaprio’s daughter, and while questioning a worker, the man tells him that behind those mountains there is a “group of nuns who grow weed.” Don’t worry, it’s not a spoiler, just a hint. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
“We couldn’t have been in better hands. This nod in the film feels almost like a symbolic reward for having survived ten years in an environment that is constantly changing and that, many times, has tried to wipe us out. For us, it is an honor that our existence has inspired a cinematic universe that opens up conversations. Seeing it reflected in some way in a work of this caliber was a very significant moment.”
Regarding their relationship with PTA — now the Oscar-winning director of One Battle After Another, alongside a superb filmography that includes Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Licorice Pizza — the Sisters of the Valley are deeply grateful and hope their bond continues to flourish. “For us, this gesture means much more than an on-screen appearance: it’s a symbolic recognition of a history of resistance, autonomy, and faith in what we do,” says Sister Karina. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Meanwhile, this is the activists’ first appearance in a Hollywood-caliber film. They had participated in several documentaries, including Breaking Habits, directed by British filmmaker Rob Ryan, which portrays the genesis of their movement through the story of Sister Kate, its founder, and the path that led her to create it.
Now, they hope to capitalize on all the momentum generated by One Battle After Another, since their visibility “is” their activism. “We’re not your typical nuns. Boom! We’re not worried about media attention, since it’s a tool we use specifically to defend and amplify the voice of the plant, reminding everyone of the sacred connection we share as living beings.”
And, amidst all the lights, ads, and media attention, they hope the audience leaves the theater entertained and, in doing so, that this whole experience becomes a gateway for more people to learn about their work and, specifically, the reason for their existence. “We want people to understand that this fight isn’t just for the plant, but for a shift in consciousness. We want it to be known that our voice is collective, ancestral, and profoundly human,” Sister Karina concludes.
