The People vs. George Lucas

The People vs. George Lucas dissects the love/hate relationship some Star Wars fans have developed with its creator George Lucas.

At a recent South by Southwest screening Q&A session, director Philippe, a self-professed "fanboy," describes his film as "sort of a cultural examination of this phenomenon." The film looks at controversial decisions made by Lucas, such as the digitally re-mastered Special Editions of Episodes IV-VI without the re-mastering of the original versions. Yet as much as the film dissects Star Wars controversy, it also examines the meaning of participatory culture, asking the question, "Once the public embraces a film, to whom does it belong-the fans or the creator?"

Lucas’s undeniable influence on multiple generations is examined through a participatory documentary. Fans were invited to submit their own footage, and submit they did, from stop-motion animation tributes to images of costume-clad enthusiasts engaged in re-enactments and parodies.

Director Philippe carefully sorted through and compiled highlights from 634 hours of fan film footage. Philippe crafts an interesting meditation on art and marketing and film itself. The result: a love letter (or more accurately, a "love/hate letter") to a filmmaker that documentary contributor Richie Menta aptly claims has "unlocked a generation’s imagination."