‘The Man Will Burn’: On Filming the Sacred and Propane at Burning Man
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Jehane Noujaim, Emmy-winning documentarian, co-directed "The Man Will Burn," a four-part HBO series about the Burning Man festival, capturing its chaotic and challenging environment.
- Burning Man, held annually in Nevada's desert, has grown from a small San Francisco beach gathering to an eight-day event attracting over 70,000 participants and costing tens of millions of dollars.
- The festival, popular among tech leaders and celebrities, faces criticism for straying from its origins and issues like illegal drug use and underreported sexual assault, which the documentary does not deeply explore.
- Filming began in 2021 amid pandemic-related uncertainties, documenting the shift to a virtual event and the subsequent in-person festivals in 2022 and 2023, including challenges like severe weather and difficult exits.
- The documentary combines archival footage with recent material to portray the festival's unique blend of art, community, and adversity, highlighting both its allure and complexities.
