This Weekend, 40 Foot Marionettes Invade Berlin

This past weekend Berlin celebrated the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall with a visit from France's Royal de Luxe street theatre company.

Royal de Luxe creates insanely amazing large scale, mechanical street marionettes. Founded in 1979 by Jean Luc Courcoult, the company has performed all over the world. From Royal de Luxe's website:

"Shows are simple – the animal or giant arrives in town and lives its life, going about its business for a few days. Extraordinary interactions take place between passers-by and the performance; residents become enchanted with the activities of these miraculous beings and begin to follow their every move. By the end of the performance, huge crowds gather daily to watch the latest episode in the life of the visiting creature."

Royal de Luxe completely blows Burning Man out of the water. In fact, this looks like the closest you'll get to any kind of full blown fantasy, never-never-land in this lifetime (although the potential of creativity knows no limits...I'd love to see someone top this).

Royal de Luxe, please come to the states soon!

Video (in German) below, following are 35 astounding AFP/Getty images from Boston.com.

"A police boat makes its way past the Big Giant who is lifted out of the water in Berlin on October 3, 2009... Two marionettes named Little Giantess and Big Giant seek each other out, visiting various historical sites in Berlin, as part of celebrations to mark the 20th anniversary of the falling of the Berlin wall."

"The Little Giantess sleeps for the night at the Lustgarten next to the cathedral in Berlin..."

"The Little Giantess has a shower in front of Berlin's City hall..."

"The feet of the Little Giantess..."

"The Little Giantess takes her first steps in front of the Rotes Rathaus..."

"Crowds of spectators surround the Little Giantess at Bebelplatz..."

"A girl briefly rides on the arm of the Little Giantess..."

"Royal De Luxe ("Lilliputians") lift the 9.5 meter tall Big Giant out of the river Spree..."

"Water sheds from the feet of the Big Giant as he is lifted from the water..."

"The Big Giant begins his search through Berlin for his niece, the Little Giantess..."

"The Big Giant is moved across a bridge..."

"The Little Giantess, (and one of her operators) walks through Berlin, seeking her Uncle, the Big Giant..."

"The Little Giantess makes her way down Berlin's Friedrichstrasse..."

"The Big Giant makes his way past the Reichstag (Germany's pariamentary building)..."

"The Little Giantess arrives in front of Berlin's City hall with the TV tower in background..."

"Members of the street theater group Royal De Luxemove the Little Giantess, now dressed in a yellow slicker, in front ofthe Rote Rathaus..."

"The Little Giantess rides in a boat in front of Berlin's TV tower..."

"The Big Giant makes his way the Strasse des 17 Juni..."

"The boots of Big Giant..."

"The Big Giant makes his way further down the Strasse des 17 Juni..."

"The Little Giantess in front of the Brandenburg Gate..."

"Lilliputians remove the helmet of the Big Giant in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate..."

"The Big Giant and his niece, the Little Giantessshare an embrace as they are reunited once again, in front of Berlin'sBrandenburg Gate..."

"The Big Giant and the Little Giantess, newly reunited, sleep in each others' arms in front of the Brandenburg Gate..."

"The Big Giant wakes in front of the Brandenburg Gate..."

"The Little Giantess and the Big Giant make their way through Berlin toward a waiting boat..."

"Little Giantess walks through Berlin..."

"The Big Giant is walked by performers..."

"The Little Giantess looks up at papers floating down to the crowd, representing the tens of thousands of letters intercepted by East Germany's Stasi secret police, now symbolically returned to the people..."

"The foot of Big Giant is maneuvered by Lilliputians during the fourth day of a street theatre in Berlin..."

"The Little Giantess makes her way past the Reichstag..."

"The Big Giant and the Little Giantess are lifted into a boat for their departure..."

"Lilliputiansfrom the Royal de Luxe theatre company attend to the Big Giant andLittle Giantess as they prepare to leave Berlin on a boat..."

"Little Giantess rests on her uncle, the Big Giant as they leave Berlin..."

"A reunited but exhausted Big Giant and the Little Giantess rest as they are depart Berlin on a boat on October 4, 2009..."

• Previously, SFX Guru Hatches Big Disturbing Humans (NSFW).