Lance Oppenheim has always lived in reality, but not all his subjects do. The documentarian has built a career out of pointing his camera at people, from the retirees of Some Kind of Heaven to the unregulated donors of Spermworld and the self-appointed royalty of Ren Faire. And this year, he trades obscurity for two high-profile projects that continue his exploration of eccentricity and human behavior. Oppenheim’s latest film, The Queen of Versailles, follows the rise and fall of a Florida family who built an extravagant replica of the Palace of Versailles, only to be hit by the 2008 financial crisis. The film delves into the family's lavish lifestyle and the sudden shift to economic hardship, offering a glimpse into the American dream's fragility. It was released in 2012 and received critical acclaim for its portrayal of ambition and vulnerability. In another project, Oppenheim turned his lens toward the world of competitive eating, a niche but growing phenomenon where participants consume massive amounts of food in record time. His documentary, Super Size Me, though not directly related, shares a similar tone of examining modern culture through unusual lenses. Oppenheim’s work often blurs the line between spectacle and sincerity, capturing the bizarre and the profound with equal measure. Through his films, Oppenheim continues to challenge viewers to look beyond the surface of everyday life, revealing the complexities and contradictions that define the human experience. His unique perspective has earned him a reputation as a filmmaker who doesn’t shy away from the extraordinary, even when it’s found in the most unexpected places.