Fake It So Real (T/F 2011), director Robert Greene’s vérité plunge into the bizarre and wonderful world of the Millennium Wrestling Federation, is now available on Video On Demand and iTunes. The film has drawn rave reviews and insightful commentary from the likes of Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, Tom Hall of Hammer to Nail, Ben Sachs of the Chicago Reader, Andy Webster of The New York Times, and The Masked Man at Grantland.

Surprisingly, the film and Greene himself have also generated a considerable amount of  hostility. Things really picked up ahead of Fake It‘s theatrical premiere at the reRun Theater in Brooklyn, when Mark Elijah Rosenberg of Rooftop Films threw down the gauntlet.

Next, Jarred Alterman, director of Convento and T/F 2011’s Cinema/Sculpture installation, revealed his alter ego, The Sonic Asphyxi-hater.

Up and coming filmmaker Alex Ross Perry weighed in with a message and a cat.

Michael Tully of Hammer to Nail let Robert Greene know just what he thinks of his “doc-u-wanna-bes”.

Director Craig Butta decided to prove how hardcore he is.

Tom Hall of the Sarasota Film Festival pledged to defend documentary film.

Daniel Metz publicized the film for its true audience, the Budweiser swilling masses.

45365 and Tchoupitoulas directors the Ross Brothers decided that actions speak louder than words.

Due perhaps to all of this controversy, reRun curator Aaron Hillis was disappointed with the ticket sales.

Director Mike Bilandic called out Robert Greene as a liar.

Producer Nathan Truesdell  let Robert Greene know what he thinks of him.

With all these attacks coming Greene’s way, actor/director Lawrence Levine came to his defense.

And the film’s own cinematographer, Sean Price Williams, decided to . . . uh . . .

When the film moved on to the Roxie Theater in San Francisco, programmer Mike Keegan got fired up.

And filmmaker Jim Granato decided to give the film a promo mirroring its epicness.

Finally, Greene himself stepped out of the shadows to explain himself to Michael Tully.

And Dustin Guy Defa of Family Nightmare (T/F 2012) consulted with his girlfriend Keha McIlwaine while she chilled poolside.

If all of this has you geared up for even more in-ring action, you can check out Quebecois filmmakers Michel Brault and Claude Jutra’s 1960 vérité masterpiece La Lutte. While the film is only available online in French and unsubtitled, its stunning presentation of the combat within the squared circle makes it a worthwhile viewing experience for all. Robert Greene has cited La Lutte as the biggest inspiration for Fake It.