Superbright – Page 2 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

Last week the popular Sundance Film Festival took place, showcasing some of the best films from around the world. One of those in attendance was ZIKR: A Sufi Revival which VRFocus reported on just as the event took place. Now it has been revealed that documentary producer, sales agent and theatrical distributor, Dogwoof has purchased the immersive documentary.

ZIKR: A Sufi Revival

Directed by Gabo Arora (Ground Beneath Her), produced by Jennifer Tiexiera, and created by Sensorium, Superbright, and Tomorrow Never Knows, ZIKR: A Sufi Revival premiered 19th January in the New Frontier section of the festival. The film takes four participants on an interactive, virtual reality (VR) journey into a world of ecstatic ritual and music in order to explore the nature of faith alongside followers of this mystical Islamic tradition. By opening up an experience to Sufism, dancing and singing alongside members of the Tunisian group Association de la Renaissance du Maalouf et du Chant Soufi de Sidi Bou Saïd, it aims to shed light on the religion, revealing an Islamic practice of inclusion, acceptance, art, joy and understanding.

The deal was brokered on the last day of the Festival by Dogwoof’s Andy Whittaker and Tomorrow Never Knows’ Nathan Brown. The agreement secures funding to support additional development, including an online version of the VR experience to bring multiple players into the experience from around the world.

Dogwoof will also look to global distribution with location based installations at high profile international cultural centers, cinemas and museums. This is the first public project for Tomorrow Never Knows, a newly formed VR/AR/AI startup founded by industry veterans Arora, Brown, Saschka Unseld and Tom Lofthouse.

ZIKR: A Sufi Revival

“There is real demand and a growing market for distinctive storytelling in VR/AR,” said Brown, CEO of Tomorrow Never Knows. “To partner with Andy and Dogwoof, one of the world’s most acclaimed producers and distributors of non-fiction stories, is more than a signal, it’s a lightning bolt for the entire industry.”

“Andy and his team at Dogwoof, have proven themselves over and over with their work in traditional documentary. And, with their first VR acquisition with ZIKR, they will bring their same tenacious spirit to making sure more and more people can experience a story very pertinent to what’s happening in the world now,” said Arora. “I couldn’t dream of a better home for ZIKR or a better team than Dogwoof for global distribution. I am honoured to be joining their award winning catalog.”

For the latest news on VR and 360-degree filmmaking, keep reading VRFocus.

Today marks the start of the latest Sundance Film Festival, running until January 28th 2018. While the festival itself continues to adapt with the times its role in shining a spotlight on some of the finest exponents of the craft that is story telling has not changed one iota. Of course something that has made increasing strides over the last three years has been the addition of immersive experiences and installations into the various facets that make up the Sundance line-up. That and of course those from other festivals as well, like Raindance.

We’ve already had a few of announcements regarding Sundance this year; there’s the virtual reality (VR) animated film Battlescar from 1stAveMachine. An exploration of the late 70’s Punk scene in New York starring actress Rosario Dawson which will feature as part of the Sundance New Frontier Program. Dinner Party, RYOT’s VR story story of alien abduction and revelations at a dinner party in early sixties America. Digital Domain are bringing Micro Giants, an immersive narrative about a micro-ecosystem that includes vivid details and beautiful design and just recently a study in urban warfare with HERO from iNK Stories and Starbreeze.

One more can now be added to the list ZIKR: A Sufi Revival, which is coming to the Kimball Art Center from January 19th through to the 27th, again as part of the New Frontier category.

Presented by the partnership of Superbright, Sensorium, Tomorrow Never Knows, BoomGen Studions and 1001 Media, ZIKR: A Sufi Revival seeks to shed light on an often confused religion – Sufism, known in the Muslim world as Tasawwuf and which is often described as a mysticism-based aspect of Islam. The project, which has you join the Tunisian group Association de la Renaissance du Maalouf et du Chant Soufi de Sidi Bou Saïd looks into the creative side of Sufism, of art, dance and the joy and importance that can be found in both ritual and music. The social aspect is kept intact by your ability to see other participants as virtual avatars and you will be able int interact through song, fance and a number of physical objects which have the capablility not just change your experience but that of those around you.

“My hope is that ZIKR: A Sufi Revival, with its unprecedented level of engagement and interactivity, will allow for a more meaningful connection to Islam that goes beyond empathy and tolerance.” Explained the Director, Gabo Arora. “I want it to
evoke the deep sense of bliss and elation these rituals can bring in order to communicate something that cannot be learned through words, but only through experience.Executive producer, best-selling author, scholar of religions, and

Reza Aslan, Co-Founder of BoomGen Studios added: “We founded BoomGen Studios as a hack to leverage the power of storytelling to reframe perceptions, to change people’s minds and to create new identities. There is no better example of that than what Gabo and team have accomplished with the eye-opening experience that is ZIKR.”

“With this experience we push the boundaries of interactive social VR by re-imaging embodiment and presence in Sufi rituals. Participants are afforded an opportunity to engage with each other through song and dance and gain a more holistic understanding of Islam.” Said Igal Nassima, ZIKR’S creative technologist.

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Category: Superbright

VR Documentary ZIKR: A Sufi Revival Acquired by Dogwoof at Sundance Film Festival

ZIKR: A Sufi Revival Heads To Sundance Film Festival