Gerald Fox’s documentary about the power-guzzling temporary city for eco-themed art in the Nevada desert already looks like a postcard from another era

If the inhabitants of Mad Max ever managed a mini-break from the grimness of post-apocalyptic life to a festival, it might look a bit like Burning Man – the hippyish summer solstice celebration held every year in the Nevada desert. Gerald Fox’s documentary shows how organisers impressively erect a city for 70,000 people out of nothing in 18 days. It’s a behind-the-scenes look without much in the way of history or context; certainly no voice is given to concerns that Burning Man’s countercultural credentials may go up in smoke as it becomes another destination on the global festival scene, a spectacular backdrop for a sunlit celebrity selfie.

The film focuses on a handful of artists installing their large-scale works in the desert. The French London-based architect...