Adapting Reality: Embracing the Surreal in Nonfiction Storytelling

From writing film reviews for the Sun-Sentinel as a South Florida high school student to directing the documentary The Python Hunt, filmmaker Xander Robin has followed a fascination with unusual stories and the people at their center. In this keynote, Robin shares his move from scripted filmmaking into feature documentary, exploring how to shape reality into a story while preserving the strangeness of real life.

About Xander

Xander Robin is a filmmaker based in South Florida who most recently directed the feature documentary The Python Hunt, produced by Artists Equity and Lance Oppenheim. The film premiered at SXSW 2025, where it received a Special Jury Award. It was released in theaters in 2026 by Oscilloscope Laboratories to critical acclaim. He previously directed episodes of the HBO original series Chillin Island for the Safdie brothers’ Elara Pictures, and wrote and directed his feature debut, Are We Not Cats which premiered in Critics’ Week at the 73rd Venice Film Festival and was later released on Shudder.