Venice Vr Expanded – Satellite Program

VENICE VR EXPANDED – SATELLITE PROGRAM

09.02.2020 — 09.12.2020

Produced by With the support of

p. 1 VENICE VR EXPANDED

Curating and designing this fully online network of 15 prestigious institutions 2020 edition of Venice VR, rebranded in 15 cities across the world that make as “Expanded” for the occasion, has up our Venice VR Expanded Satellites, proven to be one of the most exciting embarking with us on this most exciting and challenging experiences. We challenge of redefining how immersive decided from the start that we would art can become a part of our lives. need to respect the choice of the original platforms that each project Liz Rosenthal had been designed for in order to Michel Reilhac protect their technical and creative Curators of Venice VR Expanded integrity. This meant that we would have to partner with the best platform providers in a new collaborative way so as to best help viewers to navigate between a constellation of different access points in virtual worlds.

Add to this the very new appearance of collective performance-based projects online in real time, the growing sophistication of interactive interfaces, viewer’s agency driven by artificial intelligence, and playability constraints... It has been a very steep learning curve with the unprecedented support from our partners Viveport, Facebook’s Oculus, VR Chat and VRROOM.

Yet here we are, offering you what we consider not only to be the most exciting and diverse state-of-the-art VR experiences gathered from all around the world, but also a window into what the future of immersive art and digital culture may become. And here with us, for the first time in the history of the La Biennale di Venezia, is the most impressive p. 2 As a pioneer in the dissemination of Always seeking new ways of artistic new narrative forms, PHI has developed exploration and human connection, a deep appreciation and curiosity in PHI is dedicated to sharing the most the XR community, cultivating close compelling stories and art of our time. relationships with our industry peers. The challenges of the current situation In designing thoughtful exhibitions, reinforce our desire to maintain we help make award-winning works of a dialogue with the international international stature accessible. community and to have art presented in Montreal and beyond. We are pleased to be the only venue in the country to host the full Venice PHI VR Expanded program, as part of the La Biennale di Venezia 2020, and to present the 39 immersive works of this selection. This is an opportunity for PHI to transport Montrealers into the world of this iconic event, which is normally reserved for the limited audience that travels to the famous Lazzaretto Vecchio island off of the Lido, and to introduce them to the creations of artists from 24 countries. The majority of the works are presented as world premieres, including a few by Canadian artists.

As a curator, presenter and producer of immersive experiences, PHI plays a leading role in the XR community. We are honoured to include Montreal as one of the 14 satellites of Venice VR Expanded, alongside renowned institutions in major cities such as Copenhagen, Paris and Beijing.

p. 3 Interactive and Cinematic Works PROGRAMMING

p. 4 IN COMPETITION

p. 5 4 FEET HIGH by MARIA BELEN PONCIO, Seventeen-year-old Juana, who is stuck ROSARIO PERAZOLO MASJOAN, on a wheelchair, is willing to explore DAMIAN TURKIEH sexuality but is ashamed of her own Argentina / France / 15 min body. In the process of trying to fit in Detona Cultura / Red Corner / at her new school, she is to face failure, friendship and fear before learning to ARTE France / Realidad 360 accept herself.

MARIA BELEN PONCIO is a filmmaker who wrote and directed the short film 4 Feet: Blind Date (2018), on which this new VR project is based. Among the contributors of the short film above are ROSARIO PERAZOLO MASJOAN and DAMIAN TURKIEH, respectively the film’s screenwriter and co-director.

p. 6 AFRICAN SPACE MAKERS by THE NRB BUS COLLECTIVE This VR series depicts a new generation Kenya / Germany / 50 min of emerging creatives. The journey be- The Nrb Bus Collective gins in Nairobi, Kenya, one of the liveliest metropolises in sub-Saharan Africa. THE NRB BUS COLLECTIVE is a mobile creative space for artists and musicians inaugurated in 2012 traveling between Kenya and other areas in East Africa.

p. 7 AGENCE by PIETRO GAGLIANO In this animated and interactive Canada / 10 min experience, the fate of artificially Transitional Forms / intelligent creatures known as National Film Board of Canada Agents is in the viewer’s hands. In this algorithmic universe, Agents PIETRO GAGLIANO (1979) is a Canadian filmmaker, live on small planets according to a producer and animator. In 2018 he worked on the preordained plan until they slowly build production of the short film The Great C, which a sense of self-awareness. Should the was selected that same year for the Venice VR competition. viewer decide to let them live in social harmony, or disrupt this balance?

p. 8 AJAX ALL POWERFUL by ETHAN SHAFTEL Henry Winkler is a genie addicted to USA / China / 15 min the human souls he collects in exchange VeeR / easyAction for granting wishes to gullible humans. However, something is different about ETHAN SHAFTEL is a filmmaker chiefly known the seemingly naive little girl who has for his short films Kaiju Confidential, presented rubbed his lamp this time. For one thing, at Sundance, and Space Buddies, presented at she has hired a straight-laced lawyer Tribeca, both in 2019. (Chris Parnell) to negotiate her wishes.

p. 9 BEAT by KEISUKE ITOH Beat is a story literally born out of Japan / 12 min viewers’ heart since their heartbeat WOWOW Inc. / CinemaLeap Inc. is faithfully reproduced in animation. Viewers also meet a rusty and heartless KEISUKE ITOH (Japan, 1986) is Japanese artist, robot they can give their heart to by animator and illustrator specializing in character placing it in his metallic body. The happy design and 3D animation. His film Feather (2019) robot stands up and starts moving around. was presented at the 76th Venice Film Festival in the Biennale College Cinema – VR section. After meeting new robots, though, he does not know how to communicate with them. His “heart” is key to the story’s progress and, through the robot’s personal growth, of viewers’ awareness of their own heart.

p. 10 DREAMIN’ ZONE by FABIENNE GIEZENDANNER Yuri, an old South Korean woman, thinks France / Sweden / Germany / back of the day she turned ten, when South Korea / 18 min she disobeyed her mother, ran away Zéro de Conduite Productions / and crossed the border between the CINÉ-LITTÉ PRODUCTIONS / two Koreas in hope to meet her father, a soldier violinist who went to war and FAUVEA Studio / STUDIO YOG disappeared somewhere in North Korea. with Yolanda Creighton, She travels through an animistic and Béatrice Bastiani, Amy Bull dreamlike version of the demilitarized zone among strange-looking birds, FABIENNE GIEZENDANNER (1967) is a Swiss filmmaker and screenwriter. Her work ranges from mysterious ghosts and the scars the war online games to the creation of animated series. left behind. Will she get to meet her dad? In 2017 she directed Skyscrapers.

p. 11 GNOMES AND GOBLINS by JON FAVREAU, JAKE ROWELL This animated, story-driven game is set USA / up to 120 min in an enchanted world of gnomes and Wevr / MWM Interactive goblins. The viewer, as protagonist, will encounter inhabitants of a fantasy land, JON FAVREAU (Queens, New York City, USA, 1966) build a relationship with them, become is a U.S. filmmaker, producer and actor. Among his part of their society, and save them numerous feature films and TV series are Iron Man from their foe. (2008), Iron Man 2 (2010), The Jungle Book (2016) The Lion King (2019), and The Mandalorian (2019).

JAKE ROWELL is a U.S. filmmaker, artist and animator. He worked on the creation of video games sagas such as Final Fantasy and Call of Duty. As a filmmaker, he worked on the special effects of feature films Animatrix (2003) and Superman Returns (2006).

p. 12 GREAT HOAX: THE MOON LANDING by JOHN HSU, MARCO LOCOCO In 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Taiwan / Argentina / 17 min Despite those conspiracy theorists Serendipity / 3DAR that called the moon landing a hoax, the United States proudly showed the JOHN HSU is a Taiwanese director. His debut film world what a powerful nation could Detention (2019) is based on the videogame of the accomplish. Fifty years later, the same name. That same year, Hsu was nominated Taiwanese people are fighting against in twelve categories at the Golden Horse Awards, winning in five of them including Best Directorial identity crises and financial instability Debut and Best Adapted Screenplay, together with and waiting for something or someone Fu Kai-ling and Chien Shih-keng. to step up and make them rise again. MARCO LOCOCO has worked on the special effects of two animated short films: Shave It (2012) and Uncanny Valley (2015). In 2019, he produced the animated short film Gloomy Eyes, selected for the Venice VR competition.

p. 13 HAVFOLKET KALDER MØRKNET VAND (HUSH) by VIBEKE BRYLD A sensory VR experience and installa- Denmark / 10 min tion turning viewers into the subject of Final Cut for Real a Northern myth and taking them into a mythological underwater land born VIBEKE BRYLD (1976) is a Danish filmmaker, out of the harsh seas and plains of Thy, screenwriter and producer. In 2015, her film a rural region in the North of Denmark Pebbles at Your Door was in competition in where superstition abounds and the Berlin for the Golden Bear as Best Documentary. powers of nature rule.

p. 14 HERE by LYSANDER ASHTON Based on Richard McGuire’s graphic USA / UK / 5 min novel, Here is a grand biopic on a Intel Studios / 59 Productions specific corner of a room. We join the with Joe Roger Davies, myriad characters that have called this Sarah Mina Son particular room home throughout time. The narrative flow allows viewers to live

LYSANDER ASHTON (1982) is a British filmmaker. an immersive experience in a unique He is the director of 59 Productions and art place through time, connecting with director of many of the company’s productions. those who have come before, as well His career spans different sectors, from stage and exhibition design to VR events management as those yet to come. and organization.

p. 15 IN THE LAND OF THE FLABBY SCHNOOK by FRANCIS GÉLINAS In this animated experience, a young Canada / 6 min boy asks his elder sister how she couleur.tv managed to stop being afraid of the with Catherine Cyr, dark. She shows him a number of Saule Gélinas, Francis Gélinas, dreamlike drawings that come alive little by little and help him conquer Lileyna Joy, Monique Thomas, his fears. Daniel Judson

FRANCIS GÉLINAS (1979) is a Canadian filmmaker. He worked on the special effects of the mixed-technique short film Goldfish (2015).

p. 16 KINSHASA NOW by MARC-HENRI WAJNBERG 35,000 kids abandoned by their families Belgium / Congo / 25 min / following witchcraft allegations are doing english and french their best to survive on the streets of Wajnbrosse Productions / RG Kinshasa, Congo. One night, fourteen- Créatifs Associés year-old Mika must suddenly come to terms with this terrible situation and

MARC-HENRI WAJNBERG (Brussels, Belgium, 1953) learn the rules of the street to survive, is a Belgian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer. find food and shelter, and, even most His directorial debut, the 1983 mini-comedy-series importantly, fit in. Clapman, consisted of several short films.

p. 17 MINIMUM MASS by RAQI SYED, The viewer is taken into the surreal AREITO ECHEVARRIA cinematic story of a family living New Zealand / France / USA / through a series of miscarriages. 20 min Set in contemporary Rotorua, New Floréal Films / Like Amber Zealand, their story is one of love, loss and black holes.

RAQI SYED has designed the special effects of several internationally successful films such as Avatar (2009), The Avengers (2012) and the Hobbit trilogy (2012-2014). Minimum Mass is his directorial debut.

AREITO ECHEVARRIA has been working on the special effects of several celebrated and internationally successful films such as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), King Kong (2005) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). In 2014 he won an Academy Award for Technical Achievement. Minimum Mass is his directorial debut.

p. 18 MIRROR: THE SIGNAL by PIERRE ZANDROWICZ Sent to an unknown planet, young exo- France / 9 min biologist Claris violently crashes on a Atlas V / Versus Production / mysterious land. As she tries to find Albyon Studio the other members of her team, she witnesses the first “signal” generated PIERRE ZANDROWICZ is a filmmaker who has by the planet itself. directed several short films such as Transfert (2009), The Ferryman (2009) and I, Philip (2016), presented at Cannes. In 2019 he was in the Venice VR competition as director of the Ex Anima Experience project, and also produced two more VR installations in competition that same year, Gloomy Eyes and Battlescar - Punk Was Invented by Girls.

p. 19 OM DEVI: SHEROES REVOLUTION by CLAUDIO CASALE In contemporary India, we follow three Italy / India / 23 min women engaged in a day-to-day fight for Sibilla Film gender equality. Anjali is a doctor who with Anjali Rani, Devya Arya, works non-stop to lower the high death Shabnam, Ikra rate. Shabnam is a civil rights activist and acid-attack survivor taking care of

CLAUDIO CASALE (1986) is an Italian filmmaker her daughter Ikra. Devy Arya studies at and screenwriter. He began his career by making a Hindu school to become a priestess. documentary short and full-length films such as Their diverse stories take us right to Piccolo Mondo Cane (2017) and My Tyson (2018). the heart of India’s changing society.

p. 20 ONCE UPON A SEA by ADI LAVY Users are transported to the Dead Israel / Canada / 22 min Sea and taken on a tour of one of the Bilmey Intuitive Pictures wonders of the world, which has been inaccessible for 35 years. A place famous ADI LAVY is an Israeli filmmaker known for her for its long history and therapeutic documentary film Sun Kissed (2012) presented powers, the Dead Sea can now be at the Los Angeles Film Festival. virtually experienced by viewers thanks to photo-realistic environments.

p. 21 PENGGANTIAN (REPLACEMENTS) by JONATHAN HAGARD Inspired by people and places that Japan / Germany / Indonesia / truly exist, the film depicts a Javanese 12 min family living in a fictional neighborhood Kampung Ayu / Ossa Film / in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. Suwe Ora Jamu Here, they witness the city’s political transformation and rise of Islamic with John Navid, Tri Yuliantini, fundamentalism causing the overall Rido Purwanto, Hartini Sarimo, decay of the surrounding urban Galih Budi Oetomo, Septatiana environment. Effendi

JONATHAN HAGARD (1986) is a Kyoto-based Indonesian-French filmmaker, animator and illustrator. He has made 2D, 3D and VR animated works.

p. 22 RECODING ENTROPIA by FRANÇOIS VAUTIER In the midst of a spatial void, an imposing France / 8 min geometric form wanders in the horizon Da Prod of infinite space presenting itself to the viewer’s eyes. It is a huge and pure FRANÇOIS VAUTIER is a French filmmaker. He has eternity-evoking tetrahedron. As it stays been chiefly working for television as director of two still, it breaks apart scattering its million feature films, Le p’tit bleu (2000), Déjà vu (2007) pieces in empty space as ghosts in and a documentary film, Twenty show: Le film (2009). He presented his first VR project I Saw the heart of infinity. Soon enough, this the Future in the 2017 Venice VR competition. imposing entity is shattered into a cloud of particles dancing in nothingness.

p. 23 SHA SI DA MING XING (KILLING A SUPERSTAR) by FAN FAN, Lisa is an actress who has been recently China / 20 min caught in a scandal and even received Beijing iQIYI Science death threats. Her agent invites a well- & Technology co. known TV host to Lisa’s secret villa with Luyao Zhang, Zi Dou, for a live interview. Unexpectedly, at the beginning of the live show a dead Ziqiao Song, Haorong Deng, person is found at the scene. Was it an Ding Yue, Songming Chen accident or murder? Killing a Superstar is an immersive VR video: viewers can FAN FAN is a young Chinese producer and director who has been working with iQIYI since 2017. His solve the case directly at the crime focus is on the creation and production of VR films scene through interactive functions. and games. Among those, the immersive project “The Last One Standing VR” has been shortlisted for an award in the VR category at the 75th Venice International Film Festival.

p. 24 SILTOJEN ALTA TULEVAISUUDEN IHMISELLE (MAN UNDER BRIDGE) by HANNA VÄSTINSALO Johan K. Harju was a self-taught writer Finland / 7 min and historian, as well as an alcohol- Thinkseed addicted homeless person. His unique talent resided in his ability to document HANNA VÄSTINSALO is a Finnish filmmaker, his friends’ lives as well as his own screenwriter and producer. She has pre-eminently through his personal voice that made worked on short films such as Father (2015) and listeners see the world through his eyes. Wombsong (2018). This virtual-reality experience combines animation with photos and Harju’s voice recordings from the Helsinki City Museum archives, placing users in a historical tram featuring animation inspired by Harju’s drawings.

p. 25 THE HANGMAN AT HOME – AN IMMERSIVE SINGLE USER EXPERIENCE by MICHELLE KRANOT, What does the hangman think about URI KRANOT when he goes home at night from work? Denmark / France / Canada / Based on Carl Sandburg’s poem, The 25 min / english and french Hangman at Home explores the possible Floréal Films / Late Love answers to this question through five interwoven stories: five characters in one Production / Miyu Productions apartment, in five different moments. An immersive, animated and interactive MICHELLE and URI KRANOT are a couple of Israeli filmmakers. Their art brings animation and mo- experience allowing viewers to become dern technologies together to create entirely new aware of their influence on the events, experiences. They are the founders of research until they are required to make a decision and development studio TinDrum, as well as the producers and creative directors of ANIDOX, a and act upon them. company specializing in the development and production of animated documentary films; they also worked in key positions at The Animation Workshop in Denmark.

p. 26 WO SHENG MING ZHONG DE 60 MIAO (ONE MORE MINUTE) by WAN DAMING A documentary film on people’s lives China / 26 min during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Veer / MeDoc The viewer experiences the power and beauty of life, and the heartbreaking WAN DAMING is a Chinese filmmaker. real events that took place at 10 a.m. on February 20, 2020.

p. 27 BEST OF VR – OUT OF COMPETITION

p. 28 1ST STEP - FROM EARTH TO THE MOON by JÖRG COURTIAL, A legendary space-travel experience MARIA COURTIAL following in the steps of the Apollo Germany / 14 min mission from launch to the astronauts’ Faber Courtial journey back home: a magic story of with Christian Jacob, Alexander how dreams came true as mankind took their first step on the moon. Waigel, Holger Winter

JÖRG COURTIAL (1966) is a German filmmaker and animator. He made his debut in the VR world with a series of documentary-style films such as Gladiators In The Colosseum VR 3D 360° (2016) and 2nd Step VR 3D 360° (2018).

MARIA COURTIAL (1965) is a German filmmaker and producer. She collaborated with director Jörg Courtial on the making of VR content and participated in the production of works such as Gladiators In The Colosseum VR 3D 360° (2016) and 2nd Step VR 3D 360° (2018).

p. 29 BLIND SPOT by HU ZHANGYANG As the main character of this China / up to 360 min videogame experience, the viewer Unlimited Fly Inc wakes up in a storage room. The house the viewer has always lived in with his HU ZHANGYANG (1992) is a Chinese filmmaker; father and sister does not look like Blind Spot is his directorial debut. it used to. A weird phone message complicates things further.

p. 30 DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE by RYAN BEDNAR In this prequel of Lewis Carroll’s cele- Sweden / up to 300 min brated Alice in Wonderland, viewers Cortopia Studios AB play the role of a girl that is accidentally with Katie Gaskin, Sean transported to Wonderland; as such, they Chiplock, Jean-Michel George, are free to control her fate and make decisions along the way. Michael Edwards, Bob Feeser, Jill Rolls

RYAN BEDNAR (1978) is a filmmaker and artistic director of Stockholm-based Cortopia Studios, Sweden. He is a creator of both traditional and VR videogame content.

p. 31 GRAVIDADE VR (GRAVITY VR) by FABITO RYCHTER, The story unfolds in a surreal AMIR ADMONI world where all existing things are Brazil / Peru / 15 min perpetually falling down, as are players Delirium Xr themselves. In this world with no walls or horizon, no bottom or top, there is FABITO RYCHTER is a filmmaker who directed no fear of heights: rather, viewers find the short film Gravity (2018), on which this new themselves floating in a gravity-free VR project is based. environment. AMIR ADMONI is a Brazilian filmmaker, screenwriter and producer who made two short films: the documentary Monkey Joy (2008) and Linear (2013).

p. 32 JIOU JIA (HOME)

by HSU CHIH YEN Based on the director’s real-life Taiwan / 18 min experience. A family gathers in their Kaohsiung Film Archive / old house on a summer day to spend Hsu Chih Yen Director Studios / time with their grandmother who can Funique VR Studio now barely move, hear or react to any external input. Many people visit the with Chia-Lin Hsu, Tsui-You house as the day goes by. The viewer Hung, Jia-Dong Shea, Ruey- also takes part in this family gathering Huey Kuo, Kun-Chuan Chen, in a very peculiar role: old grandma’s. Ying-Ting Li

HSU CHIH YEN (1985) has directed both short and full-length films such as Yellow Claw Feat. Rochelle: Waiting (2018) and Dear Ex (2018), for which he won the Audience Award, the Best New International Talent Award, and the Best Feature Film Award at the Taipei Film Festival.

p. 33 THE BOOK OF DISTANCE by RANDALL OKITA Hiroshima, 1935. Yonezo Okita left Canada / 25 min his home in Japan for Canada. Then National Film Board of Canada war and racism changed everything. Three generations later his grandson RANDALL OKITA (1979) is a Japanese-Canadian Randall Okita leads us on an interactive filmmaker, director and artist. In his career he has pilgrimage through an emotional worked on both full-length and short films such geography of immigration and family as The Weatherman and the Shadowboxer (2014), winner of the Best Canadian Film Award at the to recover what was lost. Toronto International Film Festival that same year, and The Lockpicker (2016), winner of the Discovery Award at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards.

p. 34 THE ROOM VR: A DARK MATTER by MARK HAMILTON London, British Institute of Archaeo- UK / up to 180 min logy, 1908. The disappearance of an Fireproof Studios esteemed Egyptologist prompts a police investigation into the unknown. The MARK HAMILTON (1981) is a filmmaker and viewer is called to explore cryptic loca- videogame designer. After working on several tions, examine fantastic gadgets and 3D-modeling projects, he founded the production solve puzzles in an otherworldly space company Fireproof Games. that blurs the line between reality and illusion.

p. 35 SOUND SELF: A TECHNODELIC by ROBIN ARNOTT An inward-looking journey of meditation: USA / 20 min through the use of their own voice, Andromeda Entertainment viewers experience a state of complete relaxation and altered awareness. ROBIN ARNOTT (1987) is a filmmaker, sound designer and founder of Andromeda Entertain- ment. He designed the sound effects of several videogames and short films.

p. 36 LA BIENNALE DI VENEZIA COLLEGE CINEMA - VR – OUT OF COMPETITION

p. 37 IL DUBBIO – EPISODIO 1 by MATTEO LONARDI, Nowadays, we tend to see doubts as producer: FRANCESCO LONARDI weaknesses in our struggle to succeed Italy / 7 min no matter what. We would rather show off our accomplishments, confidence and MATTEO LONARDI is an Italian director, productivity, especially in the creative screenwriter and producer. He has directed process. Il dubbio is an interactive two short VR films, Reframe Iran (2016) and documentary VR experience challenging Reframe Saudi (2018). these assumptions and exploring doubt as a driver of creation. The journey begins in Leonardo Da Vinci’s studio, where users can experience a lesser-known side of the celebrated Renaissance master.

p. 38 MEET MORTAZA VR by JOSÉPHINE DEROBE, An immersive VR experience taking producer: ORIANE HURARD viewers into the private life of a France / Belgium / 13 min man driven into exile. Ten years ago, Mortaza was forced to leave JOSÉPHINE DEROBE is a filmmaker who made Afghanistan when a fatwa was two 3D short films, Journal d’un frigo (2011) and pronounced against him. After Souviens-moi (2013). She has also made a number spending three dangerous months of installations and VR 360° 3D projects. as an illegal alien on the run, he eventually reaches the country where he wants to seek asylum, France. However, the government proves to be another obstacle in his journey to freedom.

p. 39 QUEERSKINS: ARK by ILLYA SZKILAK, Reading her son’s diary after she lost CYRIL TSIBOULSKI, him to AIDS, a Catholic mother living in producers: SARAH VICK, rural Missouri finds a way to overcome DIEGO PRILUSKY her pain by picturing him alive and in USA / 17 min love. Viewers are helped to create the story by moving around and playing with

ILLYA SZKILAK is a filmmaker, screenwriter their own body. and producer. She also co-directed with CYRIL TSIBOULSKI the short film Queerskins: A Love Story (2018), on which this new VR project is based.

p. 40 VAJONT by IOLANDA DI BONAVENTURA, This interactive first-person VR producer: SAVERIO TRAPASSO experience is set in the Vajont valley, Italy / 25 min Italy, a few hours before the disaster. The story is centered on a dialogue IOLANDA DI BONAVENTURA (L’Aquila, Italy, 1993) between a husband and his wife: the is a visual artist and director. Her work focuses woman senses the danger and wants on the environment as a constituent part of one’s to leave; her husband dismisses the personal identity, and on finding new technical and creative languages that can support artistic idea that there is any danger at all. expression and communication. What stops us from leaving the places we feel we belong? Can we accept the idea of having to protect ourselves from something that is part of our own identity – the place we grew up in?

p. 41 WHAT’S ON AT PHI

EMERGENCE & CONVERGENCE PHI_PORTAL (extended until October 25) (Until July 2021) Emergence & Convergence brings together The PHI_portal is an immersive public art works that contemplate the space between installation and long-term participatory the self, digital technology, the built initiative (from July 2020 to July 2021) that environment, and the natural world. It brings the Montreal public face-to-face with focuses on the effects of confinement on communities from 50 cities across time our collective consciousness. Admission and space – from Ede, Milwaukee, Kigali to to the exhibition is free with the purchase Gaza. A second season is coming soon in of your ticket for Venice VR Expanded. the fall. Starting August 31, The Other Side of the portal, a short film featuring several SONICATION connections, will be presented at the PHI (September 2 and 19) Centre. Admission is free. Sonication is a hybrid experience, halfway between a film set and a festive happening. PHI GARDEN, ARS ELECTRONICA (September While the performances played on the roof 9th to 13) are retranscribed on screens throughout the The virtual edition of Ars Electronica PHI Centre, aesthetes and music lovers are Festival, will showcase virtual gardens of its invited to take part in a mosaic of animations collaborators, including the PHI Centre. By within the building. Online concerts are also offering a variety of content - works of art, available if you wish to see or see again one of interviews with artists, virtual guided tours - the artists. PHI plays a key role in the expansion of art.

PHI VR TO GO PARALLEL LINES, A VIRTUAL EXHIBITION (throughout the fall) (Until September 20) PHI VR TO GO is a unique way to escape (at Parallel Lines is a call to artists to exercise home) by exploring multiple universes. PHI their agency through creation, as a means provides an easy-to-use VR headset with of inquiry, expression and action. For sixty access to a collection of virtual reality films days, we followed the artistic process of ten that have won awards at major international selected candidates, from all disciplines. film festivals. For approximately 48h, explore Relive their residence with this virtual PHI’s best narrative content, selected by exhibition. Free exhibition. our curation team. A new VR headset rental service delivered to your home is now available in Quebec City. Depending on the day of your rental, get different discounts such as a 10% discount for rentals on Tuesdays.

RELATIONS: DIASPORA AND PAINTING (Until November 29) The collective exhibition explores the complex and multiple meanings of diaspora, its condition, and its experiences as expressed through painting. Get a 15% discount on publications when you visit the Foundation which is located a few steps away from the PHI Centre at 451Saint-Jean. Admission is free. p. 42 ABOUT PHI

Founded and directed by Phoebe Greenberg and based in Montreal, Canada, PHI is a multidisciplinary organization positioned at the intersection of art, film, music, design and technology. Offering a panoramic perspective of radical ideas focused on collective experience, social impact, and audience interactivity, PHI is committed to future generations of art consumption.

PHI consists of the PHI Centre, PHI Studio, artist-in-residence programs and PHI Foundation for Contemporary Art. Through eclectic programming and a strong emphasis on content creation, PHI fosters unexpected encounters between artists and audiences.

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