It’s that time again folks, the cinematic trawler boats are back from their many nations across the globe and they’re bulging with the great, the good, and the bizarre from the world’s finest filmmakers. So the London Film Festival is beginning the lengthy process of screening this stuff to some of us lucky scribes.

I’ve long been a fan of this particular film festival because it forgoes the arrogant exclusivity of it’s global cousins and focuses simply on getting great films to ordinary people. There’s no awards, not too many celebs, and plenty of tickets for ordinary folks. That’s what film is about.

I have to say that already, just a few films into the odyssey, I’ve spotted something that epitomises my love for the festival: WE LIVE IN PUBLIC.

It’s a documentary (already lauded at Sundance) about internet pioneer Josh Harris. Seeing the massive future that the internet had to offer, he created a company called Jupiter to gather data on the business potential of this ground-breaking development. Rapidly hyped by Wall Street, Harris saw his wealth inflated with the rest of the dot-com bubble. But far from squandering his cash, he spent it on the most insane social experiments you’ll ever have heard of.

Firstly there was ‘Quiet’, an undground prequel to Big Brother (both the reality show and the Orwellian nightmare). A bunch of pods with TVs through which everyone could watch each other hosted a group of bizarre creatives who were fed, watered, and provided with a massive gun range courtesy of Josh Harris. All they had to give up in return was their freedom. As you might have guessed, this deteriorates rapidly until January 1st 2000 when, psychologically battered and bruised, the group is forcefully ejected by Guiliani’s troops.

Not discouraged, Harris continued his experiment – this time at home with his new girlfriend. Needless to say, this is just as explosive and the fall out would ultimately lead to Harris fleeing to Ethiopia to teach basketball.

It’s as insane as it sounds, and far more important. There’s insight galore amidst this screwball tale, and many a profound implication for the lives we lead today. I only hope the rest of the LFF fare is as special.