’DRIB’: What Happens When Reality and Fiction Collide?

The docu-fiction hybrid genre isn't necessarily a new thing. In fact, there are some festivals that are entirely devoted to those films that blur the line between what is real and what is written. It's the liberties in which the filmmakers choose to blur the lines 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 would put up on the internet. For Amir, it was never about getting famous however, it was all just a joke. 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 Amir's story, with real interviews discussing Amir's experience on which the narrative is based, and behind the scenes footage of what it was like making the film itself. If that sounds confusing. It's because it is. Oh yeah, and on top of all that, Amir stars as himself throughout the film's entirety.     NFS Producer Jon Fusco sat down with Kris, Amir and co-star Brett Gelman at SXSW to get some insight into the art of play and trickery.