Gifting It

by Renea Roberts

2002 | 75 mins

With a background in community psychology and business, Renea Roberts took up the challenge of documenting something intangible: the community gift economy present at Burning Man in Black Rock City, NV. Having studied communities in graduate school in addition to electives of film and documentary, she armed herself with the new tools of the trade: a digital camera, an editing system and most importantly, an open mind.

Gifting It is a meditative piece that explores an aspect of the Black Rock City truly a unique place on Earth. Here, things are different.

“If you think Burning Man is all about naked dancers tripping on substances, think again. This debut documentary by Renea Roberts takes an intelligent and thoughtful look at how the promotion of a gift economy ethic influences a host of social elements. The focus is on community and the power of gifting.” — IMDB.com