'DRIB': What Happens When Reality and Fiction Collide? [PODCAST]
There is no recipe for making a successful doc/fiction hybrid. In fact, it may be better to throw away any rules at all.
The docu-fiction hybrid genre isn't necessarily a new thing. In fact, there are some festivals that are entirely devoted to films that blur the line between what is real and what is written. The liberties that filmmakers take in blurring the lines is where the real magic shines through.
Kristoffer Borgli, director of the SXSW standout DRIB and guest on today's episode of the No Film School Podcast, didn't realize the full potential of the genre until he was halfway through making his film. He always knew he wanted to screw around with his audience, but to what extent?
DRIB is the true story of performance artist Amir Asgharnejad, a man who amassed a following through fake fight videos he posted on the internet. For Asgharnejad, it was never about getting famous; it was all just a joke. But it seems the joke was lost on an LA-based energy drink company who decided Amir would be the face of their new brand.
This is a film unlike any other, weaving together an embellished narrative of Asgharnejad's story, with real interviews discussing the experience on which the narrative is based and behind the scenes footage of what it was like making the film itself. Asgharnejad stars as himself.
We sat down with Borgli, Asgharnejad, and co-star Brett Gelman at SXSW to get some insight into the art of play and trickery.
Listen to the episode by streaming or downloading from the embedded player above, or find it on iTunes here.
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This episode was produced and edited by Jon Fusco.
