As the Immersive Tech Week (ITW) returns to Rotterdam, from December 4 to December 6, visitors are invited to step into the holy grail of immersive experiences at the Church of VR, the place to discover storytelling in its most innovative and immersive way. The 2024 Church of VR lineup invites attendees 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.”
According to ITW, the 2024 selection is set to redefine visitors’ perceptions of immersive storytelling, presenting a tantalising mix of new, original creations alongside critically acclaimed, award-winning projects from renowned festivals such as Venice Immersive. “This year, we looked at delivering a remarkable lineup of selected projects to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We could not have expected a better reception from creators worldwide who replied to our open call for projects. This positive response made our shortlisting and selection process satisfactorily difficult,” says Manuel Toledo, Head of Production and Co-curator of Church of VR.
The 2024 selection of Church of VR:
- Jack & Flo – Amaury Campion – World première
- Finally Me – Marcio Sal – Dutch Première
- Hunter-Gatherers – Davor Rostuhar – Dutch Première
- The Tenement House – Wiola Sowa – Dutch Première
- Oto’s Planet – Gwenael François – Dutch Première
- Belzebubs: The 360° Hexperience – JP Ahonen & Oscar Díaz Castillo – Dutch Première
- 40 Days Without The Sun – Joao Carlos Furia & Daniele Putnoki – Dutch Première
- Ito Meikyū – Boris Labbé & Claire Maillard – Dutch Première
- Champ de Bataille – François Vautier & Geoffroy Grison – Dutch Première
- The Elephant I Found Under My Skin – Daniel Sweed and Shaool Levy – Dutch Première
- Queer Utopia: Act I Cruising – Lui Avallos & Rodrigo Moreira – Dutch Première
- ENERGĒIA – Ugo ARSAC – Dutch Première
- 21-22 USA – Thierry Loa – Dutch Première
- Bodies of Water – Chélanie Beaudin-Quintin & Caroline Laurin-Beaucage – Dutch Première
- A Simple Silence – Craig Quintero – Dutch Première
- Once Upon… My Story! – Francis Gélinas – Dutch Première
- PLAY LIFE – Vilius Petrauskas, Mantas Pronckus, Donatas Ulvydas & Zilvinas Naujokas – Dutch Première
- Soul Paint – Sarah Ticho & Niki Smit – Dutch Première
- The World of Hugo Simberg – Anna Laamanen & Sami Jahnukainen
- Lost and Found – Dime Gjorgjievski
- The Imaginary Friend – Steye Hallema & Corine Meijers
- Plastisapiens – Miri Chekhanovich and Édith Jorisch
- PETA – When They Came For Us – Pascal Georgotas & Ramona Schurr
State-of-the-art VR technology
“As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, Church of VR continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in immersive storytelling,” says Benjamin de Wit, Founder of Immersive Tech Week. “This year’s selection represents the incredible evolution we’ve witnessed in the medium. From deeply personal narratives to social commentary and artistic expression, these works demonstrate the unique power of VR to connect, move, and transform audiences. The quality and diversity of submissions this year have been exceptional, reflecting the maturity of the medium and its creators.”
“Diversion is deeply honoured and thrilled to return to Church of VR this year, a full decade after our first collaboration. This time, we are also proud to co-curate the selection, working closely to craft an exceptional lineup. This partnership celebrates how far both Church of VR and Diversion have come, and we’re eager to bring innovative, immersive experiences to audiences once again,” says Camille Lopato, co-founder of Diversion.
The Church of VR will be open throughout Immersive Tech Week, December 4-6, 2024, at de Doelen in Rotterdam. Visitors can experience these groundbreaking works through state-of-the-art VR technology in a carefully curated environment designed to maximise the impact of each piece.