Since its inception in 2015, Church of VR has been at the forefront of XR storytelling, consistently pushing boundaries and showcasing the most creative and innovative immersive storytelling to captivated audiences. Now, as Immersive Tech Week (ITW), organised by VRDays Foundation, announces the initial lineup for its Church of VR 2023, it’s clear to anyone that creatives have not stopped exploring new ways to tell stories: the selection for this year promises to bring an unprecedented number of World, European and Dutch XR premieres to Rotterdam for audiences to experience from November 29th till December 1st.
As I’ve written before, some festivals in the last couple of years seemed to be running the same XR titles, as if there was nothing new to show. Maybe it’s all related to the production cycles, but the lineup for this edition of Church of VR is a revelation. The organizers say that “the 2023 selection is set to redefine the visitor´s perception of immersive narratives, featuring a tantalising mix of new and original creations, as well as critically acclaimed and award-winning projects.”
The Church of VR represents the holy grail of immersive experiences as far as festivals go. This is the place to experience storytelling in its most innovative and immersive way, as you’re invited to dive into the best immersive works of the year and become part of the world’s most daring adventures. The only limitation, is your imagination.
The 2023 selection of Church of VR with some extra notes about some of the projects:
Over The Rainbow – Craig Quintero – Dutch Premiere
Conceived as a VR film, offers an immersive experience of surreal worlds and digital sculptures where Morphogenetic forms abound, inspiring visitors to explore alternative realities and reflect on the interconnection of nature, science, and human perception.
AWEN – Sean Rogg – World Premiere
Perinatal Dreaming – Understanding Country – Marianne Wobcke & Volker Kuchelmeister – European Premiere
Les pieds en haut : Lou – Annick Daigneault & Martine Asselin – Dutch Premiere & HUB Montreal Selection
Origen – Emilia Sanchez Chiquetti – nominated for Unity Awards for Best Social Impact Project
TOM House the VR Experience – Márton Jelinkó – European Premiere
Let Nature Heal – Jacco Kooistra – Dutch Premiere
Stay Alive, My Son – Victoria Bousis, MBA, JD – Dutch premiere
What would it sound like to be surrounded by an intimate choir, in the middle of a large cave? The virtual reality-installation CAVES lets us experience it. Intricate vocal harmonies blend with the lush reverb of a virtual prehistoric cave. Find yourself immersed in a deep, 3D listening experience, as a group of virtual cave dwellers perform their intriguing evening ritual.
Flow invites you to surrender to the whims of the wind on a seemingly ordinary day, concealing within its turbulence a captivating night in the life of a woman, portrayed through the dance of air currents.
Journey with the power of VR and your intention to the imaginal realm of the Tarot archetypes. The cards have a message for you, but you must go alone… no Tarot readers needed here! The Tarot Experience VR is a unique ‘second person’ VR experience that asks you to bring yourself into the game. Powered by a unique True Random Number Generator, The Tarot Experience VR is connected to nature, your nature, and brings a whole new level of interactivity to VR.
Reimagined Volume II: Mahal – Michaela A. Ternasky-Holland – Dutch Premiere
House of Moiré invites users into a void-like realm, defined by curiosity of eyes and ears. The viewer advances through rooms dressed in optical patterns, audio-visual programming, and minimalist spatial design. The result is an odd and inquisitive trip through transforming sonic and visual architecture. House of Moiré is the culmination of iterations of Moiré, a series of A/V works employing audio software, depth cameras, motion capture, and interactive design principles to investigate psycho-acoustics and sensory illusion.
A relaxing experience in Virtual Reality where you use your kayak to travel through a magical corner of wildlife to locate the venue of a one-of-a-kind musical festival.
The Blue Tearsmelds a maritime tale with Matzu’s Blue Tears phenomenon to narrate a tragic love story. A naive hero, driven by greed to provide for his love, perishes in a shipwreck. The blue tears symbolize an alien species and subtly comment on global warming.
Church of VR will open its doors to all attendees of Immersive Tech Week who hold a Week, Day, Student, or Trade Show Pass, as well as visitors to EuroXR 2023. The event will take place from November 29th to December 1st, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, at de Doelen in Rotterdam., as part of a series of conferences on the industry, covering everything from production to distribution of VR titles. Prepare to immerse yourself in a world of groundbreaking XR experiences as the event unveils the 2023 selection of Church of VR, where innovation knows no bounds and storytelling takes on a life of its own.