1. The title refers to the standpoint of the critic who, in reviewing an artwork, may reject the rhetoric of authenticity and advocate the autonomy of interpretation. The re-used title also refers to the artist who, in performing a historical re-enactment, may choose to ignore the authenticity of a historical event and advocate instead the imaginary. This paper is concerned with what drives the turn towards the imaginary, and away from “true” reconstructions of the past. Through a close reading of Szabolcs KissPál’s docu-fiction, Amorous Geography, the paper’s aim is to uncover the process of acting outside of the historical script. Besides scrutinizing the outcome, the artistic relevance of this approach to history also reveals the mechanisms of artworks in coming to terms with the past.