Directors: Jamie Dee, Roger Ingraham, Jeremy Lubman, Katheryn Mcgaffigan, Tarynn Wiehahn
MPAA Rating: NR
Film Pulse Score: 6/10
Although several documentaries about the now hugely popular Burning Man festival have been released, Mike Hedge’s As the Dust Settles feels like the most accurate and appropriate entry. This participatory documentary puts the cameras in the hands of five festival goers and chronicles each unique experience they have. These individuals have varying backgrounds and offer a different perspective on the event and how it affects them spiritually and personally.
The film is as much a story of personal discovery as it is about Burning Man itself, as each of the five characters delivers an intimate look at themselves and how they are interpreting the festival as a whole. Some of them are not finding what they are looking for, where others seem to have some very profound revelations about themselves and their connection with the world.
The structuring of the film is perfectly suited for the overall ethos of Burning Man. It’s a festival about community and togetherness and being true to oneself and it is only fitting to feature a documentary from the perspective of the individuals participating. Creating a fly on the wall style doc would give people an idea of what happens out there in the desert, but it would feel more disconnected, and the entire point of the festival is to embrace one’s connection with others, with life, and with the Earth.
Creating a film like this does however cause a polarizing effect. People who aren’t already sold or accepting of this lifestyle will find themselves rolling their eyes through much of the movie. It’s difficult to understand what type of transcendent experience the subjects are having when we’re not there to experience it ourselves. This makes the film perfect for those that have been to Burning Man before, but proves to be hard to swallow for those that haven’t.
It’s still an interesting first hand look at the wackiness that occurs there however, and as someone who has never been there, it was an entertaining watch. That being said, I found myself more fascinated by what the subjects were filming than the people themselves. This poses a problem since the idea of the film is to document how these individuals are impacted by the fest, rather than the fest itself. Fortunately, even though I wasn’t interested in what was going on with these people, I liked all of them and did enjoy joining them on this ride.
As the Dust Settles is the perfect film for those curious to see what exactly happens out there at that weird hippie convention every year. It provides five different perspectives and while they aren’t the most captivating, it’s still something unique and fun to watch.
