Stand by · pulling the latest frames
Stand by · pulling the latest frames


Thousands of participants in a San Francisco-based alternate reality game end up getting more than they bargained for. Told from the players’ perspectives, 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 world teeming just beneath the surface of everyday life.
6.1
Score
31 votes
“Is it a cult? Is it a game? Or is it a life-changing adventure...”

The Institute Official Trailer #1 (2013) - San Francisco Cult Documentary HD
Editorial context, craft details, and films that share its DNA.