Screening: Saturday, April 13, 2013, 2:30pm
Running Time: 92 minutes
Synopsis: ‘The Institute’ is a feature length documentary that examines a San Francisco based phenomenon, where thousands of unwitting residents fell down a rabbit hole and got more than they bargained for. Told from their perspective, the film looks over the precipice at an emergent new art form where the real world and fictional narratives merge to create unforeseen and often unsettling consequences. Examining counter culture, new religious movements and street art, this film takes the viewer on a journey into a secret underground organization teeming just beneath the surface of every day life.
What the Critics Are Saying:
“The film fascinates me, especially because, in all honesty, I’m not really the type of person who would’ve taken that initial step to play the game in the first place. Then again, based on watching the film, I may be playing right now.”
—Film Threat
“I struggled at first, wondering what was real and how the filmmakers even gained access in the first place. Then I gave in. I don’t care how much of it is real and how much is nonsense. It’s just a fun, clever film about looking at the world from a different angle. Whether it’s all real, all fake, or some combination of the two, that doesn’t change.”
—HollywoodChicago.com
The Chicago Critics Film Festival 