One of Europe’s most prestigious independent film festivals, the Raindance Film Festival, has just announced the winners of the Randance Immersive Stories (VR) Awards, which followed on from a successful and sold out, exhibition at the Raindance Gallery of Immersive Stories.
Among the winners was immersive horror experience Transference, which starred actor Elijah Wood other VR experiences recognised at the event includes Crow: The Legend, Dinner Party and Grenfell, Our Home.
Psychological thriller Transference, directed by SpectreVision and Ubisoft and starring Elijah Wood was the winner of Best Narrative Experience, while Crow: The Legend got an award for Best Animation Experience.
Best Cinematic Experience went to Dinner Party, directed by Angel Manuel Soto and tells the story of a couple who reported the first UFO abduction in American in 1961. Best Documentary Experience wet to Grenfell, Our Home is a VR documentary which shows the recollections of the survivors of the Grenfell fire, presented in stereoscopic 360-degree video combined with CGI.
The award for Best Social Impact Experience is The Evolution of Testicles, which was created by Ryan Hartsell and starring Chris O’Dowd for the Male Cancer Awareness Campaign, designed to raise awareness of testicular cancer through laughter.
Chris O’Dowd says, “It feels terrific to win a Raindance Immersive Stories (VR) Award. It‘s exciting to be part of a new generation of filmmakers and a new medium. The potential that this medium has to have social impact is so important – we’ve won for a film about men checking their balls!”
The Grand Jury Prize: Best Immersive Story is Arden’s Wake, Tide’s Fall, directed by Eugene YK Chung. Discovery Award: Best Debut Experience was given to Madrid Noir – Prologue.
“We are thrilled to recognise pioneering Virtual Reality experiences across a number of emerging genres in the medium. Reflecting the latest trends in the industry, this year we introduced three new awards, such as Best Multi-Person Experience, shining the spotlight on social VR experiences, giving audiences a taste of what the future of immersive storytelling will soon feel like; British Award: Best UK Experience and Discovery Award: Best Debut Experience, recognising first-time VR creators.” said Mária Rakušanová, Curator of Raindance Immersive Stories and Interactive Worlds.
For future coverage of VR recognised by awards bodies will be here on VRFocus.