I recently got an email from Ed Hubbard of Witch School to let me know that the school is the subject of a new independent film, entitled Hoopeston. The film, which is being premiered at the New York Underground Film Festival on April 3rd, looks at the small town of Hoopeston, Illinois, which began several years ago to offer business space in the economically-depressed and very Christian town to anyone who showed up with a business plan. When Witch School moved in, it paved the way for all kinds of controversy.

Originally a farming community, the town of Hoopeston fell victim to the failing economy of the 1990s, and was left without a whole lot of anything, besides drug problems and empty store fronts. Enter Witch School, which moved in from Chicago in 2003, and brought with it several new jobs. Eventually Witch School left Hoopeston and moved to nearby Rossville. You can watch the trailer on the filmmaker's site. It looks like this should be pretty good, and seems to take an honest look at what happens when small-town rural America clashes with Pagan-run commercial enterprises.