The Real Thing | A film and a VR experience by Benoit Felici

Paris, the Taj Mahal, Venice, the Vatican…
All these monuments and many more have replicas scattered around the
globe. Not just simple copies, these constructions are mirrors in which a
certain image of the world is reflected.

THE REAL THING is a journey into a copy of our world. Seeking the
monumental copycat architecture of China and other countries around the
world. Residential areas where people live an everyday life in places
simulating other places.

THE REAL THING by Benoit Felici are coproduced by Artline Films and ARTE France.
The VR film is directed by Benoit Felici and Mathias Chelebourg are coproduced by Artline Films, DVgroup and ARTE France.

ARCHI-FAUX

THE REAL THING / VR

Long-métrage 73 min / 54 min
Un film de Benoit Felici,
Coproduits par Artline films et Arte France

VR Film 16mn
A film corealised by Benoit Felici and Mathias Chelebourg,
Coproduiced by Artline Films, DVgroup and Arte France

disponible sur Within

« An original and poetic documentary, a fascinating reflection on the image and its pretenses »

Télérama

« A great theme »

Le Figaro

« There is such an uncanny feeling about these inhabited tourist attractions, as if modernity would eventually spare us the troubles of travelling by rebuilding foreign places at home »

Les Cahiers du Cinéma

« The Real Thing is a charming film »

The Guardian

Prizes and nominations

Toronto International Documentary Film Festival – HotDocs
Official competition

AFFR Rotterdam
Opening Film of the festival

RAINDANCE Film Festival London
WINNER

Best Cinematography

Milano Design film Festival
WINNER Special

Mention of the Jury

VEGAS Movie Awards
WINNER award of

excellence

BAFICI – Buenos Aires International Film Festival
Official selection

CLEVELAND International Film Festival
Official selection

BEAT Film Festival - Moscow Urban forum

BERGEN Film Festival
Official selection

Image de Ville Marseille
Official selection

Ambulante, Mexico
Official selection

CAFX Copenhagen
Official selection

Arquiteturas Lisbon
Official selection

Guanajuato Film Festival
WINNER best vr film

Lichter Filmfest
WINNER

360 Film Festival
WINNER

New Images Paris Film Festival
WINNER masque d'or

Sandbox immersive festival qingdao
WINNER best vrfilm

Cervignano Film Festival
WINNER best vr film

Satis Film Festival
WINNER best vr documentary

Dok.Leipzig
official competition

Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival
officialselection

Sheffield doc/fest alternate realities
official competition

Festival dei Popoli
official selection

Buzan Film Festival
official selection

Future of storytelling
official selection

Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, Montréal
officialcompetition

True / False Film Festival
official selection

Camden Film Festival
official selection

Melbourne Film Festival
official selection

BEAT Film Festival
Moscow Urban forum

THE REAL THING / 2D

Long-métrage 73 min / 54 min
2 films coproduits par Artline films et Arte France

THE REAL THING / VR

VR Film 16mn
A project by Benoit Felinici and Mathias Cherbourg and coproduced by Artline Films, DVgroup and ARTE France

THE REAL THING / VR

is a virtual reality experience.

Compatible with all existing VR headsets, the
experience allow the audience to step right into these
neighborhoods.
To enhance the feeling of total
immersion, the documentary was shot for the first time
ever with high resolution cinema cameras, and a special

custom system.
A 360° image is reconstructed from the images of those
cameras, and the sound recorded during the shooting is
spatialized to render the exact space around the
audience.