After 4 years of research, filming and interviewing many people involved with Burning Man, we are happy to announce the documentary is in post-production phase, and will be released early 2009. Check below for more information on the film.
Film Synopsis: Once a year, on a vast Nevada lake bed surrounded by mountains, the Burning Man festival brings together tens of thousands of people who are attracted by the festival’s promise of seven days of “decommodification,” “community,” “artwork,” and “revelry.” But increasingly, many question whether Burning Man’s mainstream appeal threatens—or even upends—the festival’s utopian vision. Through a series of in-depth interviews of the festival’s founders, organizers, and participants, DUST & ILLUSIONS traces the festival’s history, while examining whether the festival is a victim of its own success. The documentary offers a new perspective about the event, and looks at our ability as human beings to create new forms of community in the 21st century.
News:
September 11th, 2008: The film is still awaiting the last stages explained below, but we are already submitting it to film festivals. As of right now, we have entered it in 2 US festivals, and a French one. Answers, positive or negative, should start coming in around December 2008. We'll keep you posted through the mailing list, as well as on this page.
August 31st, 2008: We are approaching a final cut of the film. The editing is getting to be done, but the music still requires work, and then we have to take care of the color correction, and the the sound mix. These 2 last items are quite pricey so we're waiting a little longer for those to happen. If you are part of a sponsoring/funding organisation we would love to get your help. Most of our needs could be covered in kind since it's mostly technical work. Please contact us!!
June 27th 2008: After 2 successful screening this month, Steve Jones wrote the following review in the San Francisco Bay Guardian: "Burning Man film revives key conflict".
June 22nd 2008: The director has finished his own editing of the film, bringing the story together. For the next 2 months, Arthur Guibert will join him to bring the editing to the next level. Guibert has 10 years of experience in documentary film editing. A new perspective and a fresh eye is very needed at this point of the post-production.
May 2004: That's when Olivier Bonin starting working on the DUST & ILLUSIONS project.