What if television cameras had been around to document candid discussions between international delegates following World War I? Based on a recent short film, the negotiations would have looked remarkably similar to an episode of “The Real World.”

Created as part of Boston’s 48 Hour Film Project, “The Real World: Versailles” hilariously applies the concept of reality TV to a 90-year-old historic setting.

“This is the true account of five diplomats made to live in a house and have their negotiations filmed to discover what occurs when diplomats stop being polite and start hammering out the structure of post-World War I Europe,” the characters recite near the beginning of the film.

Created by a film team called We’re Making a Movie, “The Real World: Versailles” premiered before a panel of judges in Boston on April 8. It was screened again on April 29 at Kendall Square Cinema as part of the 48 Hour Film Project’s “Best of Screening Night.” When all was said and done, the film had taken home awards for—take a deep breath—best film, audience choice, best script, best ensemble acting, best actress (Lisa Cordner), best use of genre, best costumes and best cinematography.

Credit for that last award belongs to local filmmaker John Herman, who served as camera operator, assistant director and director of photography. Herman, who has been making waves locally with his interactive Web TV series, “Gravityland,” is a prolific Seacoast artist, writer and filmmaker.

The 48 Hour Film Project is a challenge that requires teams of filmmakers to write, shoot, edit and score an entire four- to seven-minute film in just 48 hours. Each team is given a character, a prop, a line of dialogue and a genre to incorporate into its movies, and the film must be complete two days later. More than 60 cities and about 30,000 filmmakers around the world participate in the project. Each city holds screenings of local films and distributes awards, entering the best selections into a national competition.

Since “Real World” was crowned best film in the Boston branch of the project, it will now go on to compete with other city winners at the national level. It will also be screened at Filmapalooza, which will be held next March. 

Written by Jacob Lipcom and directed by Michelle Barbera, “The Real World: Versailles” is a comical take on the reality TV craze, illustrated with costumed actors posing as delegates from England, France, Italy, Japan and the United States. When a Japanese delegate is asked to leave the house, it has less to do with his negotiating skills than it does with his collection of dried toads. As the delegates labor to restructure the countries of Europe, they also bicker over household chores and restaurant bills.

As ridiculous as it seems, the film is not far off from the countless reality TV shows on cable today, which seem to capture the nation’s attention much more than history or politics. No wonder the film was so popular in Boston.
To view “The Real World: Versailles,” visit www.zspn.net/QTRWVmediumMov.htm.