Regarded as one of the biggest and most well known of the global film festivals, the Raindance Film Festival opens its doors in London, UK, this week, featuring an international roster of immersive 360-degree and virtual reality (VR) content. As part of the event social enterprise The Cornerstone Partnership has revealed its film Being Me: Revealing and Healing Childhood Trauma has been shortlisted in the Best VR Film for Social Impact category.
A collaboration between The Cornerstone Partnership and INITION, Being Me: Revealing and Healing Childhood Trauma uses VR to highlight the needs of children in the care system. The film follows the early development of the child, beginning with the child’s experience in the womb as a foetus, sensing the effects of substance abuse and domestic violence via the mother. The viewer then has the opportunity to experience the abuse and neglect first hand, through the eyes of the now infant child. Progressing into early childhood, the viewer experiences the power of intervention from adults in the child’s life such as a social worker, adoptive parent, or teacher.
“We are delighted to have two of our films shortlisted for the Best Social Impact Experience,” said Helen Costa CEO Cornerstone. “Growing up in care can have huge societal and psychological impact with many children struggling in later life. Using technology in this way can transform behavioral change and create a greater understanding and empathy for children who have been through the care system.”
The reason The Cornerstone Partnership is using VR in children’s social care is to enable people to put themselves in the child’s shoes, reframe their beliefs and ultimately shift attitude and accelerate long lasting behaviour change.
“Inition works with a variety of third sector organisations because it creates powerful and exciting opportunities for them to accelerate behavioral change through creative strategy and immersive technologies. Because VR fully immerses its users, it is the perfect platform to help adult carers, teachers and social workers empathise with traumatised children whilst gaining a more complete understanding of how their parenting can help,” adds Inition’s CEO, Adrian Leu.
Costa will be speaking at the Raindance Immersive Stories Summit in partnership with HTC Vive on the 4th October, while The Awards Ceremony will be held on 5th October 2018. For any further updates on the Raindance Film Festival keep reading VRFocus.