The Desert of the Real

Directed by Luuk Bouwman / Netherlands 2026 / Documentary / 110 min.

Six people who experienced psychosis share their stories and raise fundamental questions about reality and consciousness. Despite their diverse backgrounds - a psychologist, a philosopher, a musician, a psychiatric care worker, an artist - they share a profound reflection on what psychosis means for how they see the world.

The documentary shows their lives before the transformative events, the psychosis itself, and the path forward. Their memories are filmed through staged scenes that match the feeling the main characters had of being in a film: living rooms and clinics become sets. The distinctive visual style is inspired by science fiction and horror films. Gradually, the perspective shifts: the main characters do not return to a 'healthy' world, but to an alienating and disorienting reality.

The Desert of the Real was one of the audience favorites at IDFA and is the new film by Luuk Bouwman, a former Oss resident, previously known for Gerlach and The Propagandist. The title is taken from the science fiction classic The Matrix (1999).