Burning Man: A Whale in the Desert

The story

Burning Man is no run-of-the-mill festival. For one week of every year, thousands of people descend upon Black Rock, a desert north of Nevada for this unique celebration of music and contemporary art. Each participant must respect the 10 founding principles of the event, ranging from welcoming and helping everyone to prioritizing self-expression and immediate experience. The rules also insist on leaving no trace of the celebrations upon the desert. The documentary follows an artistic project, ‘The Space Whale’, from its conception to its completion. Filmed through immersion in the festival, close to a group of wacky artists, it presents the human and technological challenges that the team faces, but also demonstrating the spirit of the festival, a truly transient laboratory of new ideas and utopias, brought to life by Matt Schultz.