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Deep Dive: Darkon (2006)

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Darkon
Darkon is a documentary that follows the activities of the Darkon Wargaming Club, a group of live-action role-playing gamers based in Baltimore, Maryland. Directed by Andrew Neel and Luke Meyer, the film captures the real-life experiences of these role-players as they engage in fantasy battles and character-driven narratives. Filming began in 2003, allowing the directors to closely collaborate with the club members and immerse themselves in the LARPing culture. The film premiered at the 2006 South by Southwest Film Festival, where it won the Best Documentary Audience Award. Darkon was also featured in several other film festivals, including Hot Docs and the LA Film Festival. The documentary inspired the 2008 comedy film Role Models, and John Hodgman was hired to write a scripted adaptation, although it was never produced.

Why Watch

  • •Meet the Darkon Wargaming Club in Baltimore.
  • •See the real-life adventures of LARP gamers.
  • •Find out how Darkon inspired the film Role Models.

Did You Know

•Darkon won the Best Documentary Audience Award at SXSW in 2006.
•The film has an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 19 critics.
•Filming for Darkon began in 2003, three years before its release.
•Darkon was produced by Ovie Entertainment and SeeThink Films.

Perfect For

Live-action role-playingFantasy gaming cultureDocumentary enthusiasts