80,000 people. One social experiment.
Explores the definitive story of the Burning Man festival, filmed over three years with the co-operation of the Burning Man Project, the non-profit behind it, and featuring archive from the last 30 years.
Burning Man grows from an anti-establishment group in San Francisco, founded by Larry Harvey in the 1980s, to a multi-million-dollar event with thousands of attendees and the backing of billionaire tech donors. First time "Burners" look forward to the experience, while repeat attendees and organizers prep for the unpredictable as COVID-19 threatens the event.
Burning Man is canceled for the second year in a row. A renegade group of "Burners" hold their own event in the desert, and, to many, the Renegade Burn feels like a return to the event’s origins, and exposes complex dynamics within the leadership.
Burning Man is back in full force with the musicians, singers, and artists that create and run the spectacular art installations. A growing unease resurges among the creatives who fear that the advent of social media influencers and the influx of tech money threaten the original philosophy of the Burning Man community spirit.
Burning Man is threatened by days of rain and chaos. Many attendees flee the muddy terrain as the government steps in to ensure attendees stay safe.
