The Desert of the Real

How do you know whether you’re dreaming or awake? What is real, and when do you know that something is real? These may seem like theoretical, philosophical questions about the fundamental nature of reality, but for people who have ever experienced psychosis, they are questions that dominate their daily lives to a great extent. Six people from very different backgrounds – a psychologist, a musician, a psychiatric care worker, a philosopher and an artist – describe how psychosis has changed the way they view the world. They felt as though they were part of a film; the spaces they found themselves in – living rooms, clinics – were part of the set.

Director Luuk Bouwman (Gerlach, De propagandist) brings these experiences to life on screen, drawing inspiration for the visual style from science fiction and horror films. It becomes clear that the protagonists will not return to a ‘healthy’ world, but have ended up in an alienating, disorienting reality. ‘Welcome to the desert of the real’.