The 2018 Sheffield Doc/Fest Alternate Realities Exhibition, supported by Arts Council England, features 27 interactive and immersive projects; including 1 game, 1 augmented reality, 3 interactive documentaries, 3 installations, 9 virtual reality installations and 10 mobile VR projects; plus special events, talks and industry sessions. 2018 audiences will be treated to 9 World, 5 International, 6 European and 6 UK premieres, as well as 1 festival premiere.
Spread over two floors at Trafalgar Warehouse, the exhibition comprises a lower ground space entitled The World Unknown to You which will feature virtual and augmented reality, video games and digital installations that take the audience into the lives of others. The floor above entitled Better Known Truths, supported by the DDD60 project, is a communal space in which synchronous virtual reality shows will bring audiences together to experience 360º documentaries from around the world. Doc/Fest 2018 also features four Alternate Realities Special Live events: The Dark Room, The Incredible Playable Show, Reeps One: We Speak Live Music and DOUBLETHINK.
All Alternate Realities projects, except Special Live events, are competing across three award categories: the Virtual Reality award, Alternate Realities Interactive award and Audience Award. All award winners will be announced at the Sheffield Doc/Fest Awards Ceremony on Tuesday 12 June.
In addition to the Alternative Realities exhibition, The Alternate Realities Summit (supported by Arts Council England) is taking place on Sunday 10 June. The morning session will explore the theme of Portrayals, whilst the afternoon will focus on the topic of Union. Three keynote speakers taking part in the summit are: William Uricchio who leads the MiT open Doc lab, Ruthie Doyle from the Sundance Institute and Zahra Rasool, the lead of Al Jazeera’s Contrast VR team (based in Doha/Washington/NYC). Artists featured in Better Known Truths in the Alternate Realities Exhibition will examine how we reflect the culture, identity and history of a diverse selection of contributors within 360º documentary; while those in The World Unknown to You will debate how different types of interactive and immersive artists use different interfaces/media to bring us together to celebrate our collective humanity. Compared by Sharna Jackson (Arts & Digital Consultant) and Emma Cooper (Creative Digital Consultant).
The festival opens on Thursday June 7, the Alternate Realities exhibition will be open to audiences for the duration of the festival.
Alternate Realities Special Live events will take place on the following dates: June 8th: Reeps One: We Speak Live Music, June 9th: The Dark Room, June 11th: The Incredible Playable Show and June 8th/9th/10th/11th/12th: DOUBLETHINK.
ALTERNATE REALITIES SPECIAL EVENTS
Reeps One: We Speak Music Live (World premiere, UK, 2018, 75 mins, prod. Live Cinema UK / Get Involved)
World class beatboxer and vocal artist Reeps One presents the world premiere of his new live show We Speak Music Live, which blends the latest technology, stunning visuals, and unbelievable vocal performances to explore the human voice and self-expression. Reeps One will take part in a Q&A after the screening to talk about the crossover between music, science and mental health with a neuroscientist.
The Dark Room (UK, 2018, 60 mins, dir. John Robertson, prod. Charlotte Austin)
Comedian John Robertson’s smash-hit live-action adventure game is coming to Sheffield for a one-off Doc/Fest special at Trafalgar Warehouse. Look out for bespoke documentary and Sheffield references, as you awake to find yourself in a Dark Room. Stuck inside with your fellow audience members you must work together to escape. You, the audience, must choose-your-own adventure and select an option. Will you: A) Find the light switch? B) Go North? C) Cry for help?
The Incredible Playable Show (UK, 2018, 60 mins, dir. Alistair Aitcheson)
An award-winning live video game show where you, the audience, take to the stage. Become human buttons, zap each other with barcode scanners, and play Pac-Man using inflatable toys. Or sit back, and watch your friends literally become cogs in a hilarious machine. Interactive ringmaster Alistair Aitcheson brings the madcap hilarity of his theatrical gaming mashup to Sheffield for a special performance at Doc/Fest. Referencing iconic Sheffield landmarks, themes from the Alternate Realities programme like memory and data and lampooning the documentary world in its own unique idiom. The Sheffield chapter of Incredible Playable can only be experienced as part of Doc/Fest’s Alternate Realities programme in Trafalgar Warehouse
DOUBLETHINK (World premiere, UK, 2018, 15 mins, creators. Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, prod. Phantoscopic)
Experience DOUBLETHINK and be faced with a binary decision: enter the container marked HATE or the one marked HOPE. But choose wisely, because you can’t experience both… DOUBLETHINK is an immersive video installation by renowned artists and filmmakers Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard (20,000 Days on Earth), written by Stuart Evers and performed by George MacKay (Pride, Sunshine on the Leith). Created specifically for Sheffield Doc/Fest with support from Wellcome and in consultation with mental health researchers.
THE INTERACTIVE AWARD & AUDIENCE AWARD – PROJECTS IN COMPETITION:
Belongings (UK premiere; USA, 2018, 20 mins, creator. John-Paul Marin, Matt Smith, Tea Uglow, Kirstin Sillitoe, prod. Megan Gibbon, Jonathan Richards, Installation)
Experience an intimate interaction with displaced people and their stories of identity, resilience and hope.
Cosmic Top Secret (UK premiere; Denmark / Australia, 2018, 60 mins, creator. Trine Laier, prod. Lise Saxtrup, Interactive Documentary)
An autobiographical adventure game about a girl called T who wants to find out what her Dad did for the Danish Intelligence Service during the Cold War.
Homo Machina (European premiere; France / Germany, 2018, 90 mins, creator. Marc Lustigman, Noam Roubah, Olivier Bonhomme , prod. Laura Fournier, Claire Léger, Interactive Documentary)
Dive into a fantastic universe where the human body becomes a gigantic mechanised factory, inspired by Fritz Kahn’s medical illustrations.
The Loss Levels (Festival premiere; UK, 2018, 4 mins, creator. Dan Hett, prod. Dan Hett, Game)
A deeply personal yet playful story of loss based on the artist’s personal experience during the 2017 terrorist attack on the Manchester Arena.
Sensible Data / Mixed Emotions (World premiere; Switzerland, 2018, 5 mins, creator. Martin Hertig, prod. Martin Hertig, Installation)
Discover how the machine sees you and decide whether that re-informs how you see yourself.
Terminal 3 (European premiere; USA / Pakistan, 2018, 12 mins, creator. Asad J. Malik, prod. Jill Klekas, Jake Sally, Nigel Tierney, Zeda Stone, Augmented Reality)
Explore contemporary Muslim identities in the US through the lens of an airport interrogation.
The Voice of the Unicorn (World premiere; Japan / UK, 2018, loop, creator. Richard Butchins, prod. Richard Butchins, Patrick Knill, Installation)
A provocative exploration of the art of the non-verbal that challenges how we see and understand language, disability, art and alienation.
Where is Home (UK premiere; Nigeria / Canada, 2017, 30 mins, creator. Ifeatu Nnaobi, prod. Ifeatu Nnaobi, Interactive Documentary)
A journey through West Africa that asks the simple question What is home?, but reveals a complex range of thought provoking answers.
THE VIRTUAL REALITY AWARD & AUDIENCE AWARD – PROJECTS IN COMPETITION:
The Day The World Changed (International premiere; USA / Japan, 10 mins, 2018, creator. Gabo Arora, Saschka Unseld, prod. Jennifer Tiexiera, Virtual Reality Installation)
An intimate history and commemoration of the victims and survivors of atomic bombings and nuclear arms testing through first-hand testimonies.
Face To Face (World premiere; USA, 2018, 45 mins, creator. Michelle Gabel, Michaela Holland, prod. Ivana Jiron, Virtual Reality Installation) (Festival Commission)
A compelling installation based on the life of Michelle Fox, who wears a facial prosthetic due to a near fatal gun injury. A Sheffield Doc/Fest commission, supported by Arts Council England.
Hold The World with David Attenborough (European premiere; UK, 2017, 90 mins, creator. Dan Smith, prod. John Cassy, Virtual Reality Installation)
A unique one on one encounter with a digitally realised Sir David Attenborough, in which he teaches you how to examine remarkable specimens from the Natural History Museum’s collection.
Is Anna OK? (UK premiere; UK, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Camila Ruz, prod. Tom Burton, Ben Curtis, Virtual Reality Installation)
A true story of twins thrown apart by one night. Step into their shoes and a beautifully illustrated world, explore memories through objects, and uncover what happened from both perspectives.
Inside a Mind at War (UK premiere; USA, 2017, 22 mins, creator. Sutu, prod. Jake Sally, Amy Rosner, Michelle Zauzig, Jackie Westfall, Virtual Reality Installation)
Explore PTSD and the banal horrors of war through hand-drawn 3D illustrations of Scott England’s memories.
Life in VR – California Coast (World premiere; UK, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Charlotte Jones, Tom Burton, Phil Stuart, prod. Kevin Jorge, David Bradshaw, Virtual Reality Installation)
Experience life in the ocean from the microscopic to the truly gigantic and prepare to encounter the unexpected in an underwater world bursting with life.
Manic VR (World premiere; Canada, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Kalina Bertin, Sandra Rodriguez, Fred Casia, prod. Sandra Rodriguez, Bob Moore, Nicolas S. Roy, Virtual Reality Installation)
Uncover an extraordinary exploration into the exuberant, frightening, chaotic – but also beautiful – worlds of a bipolar imagination.
Porton Down (World premiere; UK, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Don Webb, Callum Cooper, Sam Von Ehren, Anna Meller, prod. Constance Nuttall, Virtual Reality Installation)
Relive the experiences of an ex-serviceman who unwittingly found himself in a bizarre, mind-altering military trial that changed the course of his life.
Vestige (European premiere; UK / France / USA, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Aaron Bradbury, Paul Mowbray, prod. Paul Mowbray, Antoine Cayrol, Jill Klekas Basmajian, Virtual Reality Installation)
Journey into the mind of Lisa as she remembers her lost love, Erik through a series of fragmented memories.
Authentically Us: We’re Still Here (European premiere; USA, 2017, 3 mins, creator. Jesse Ayala, prod. Amy Seidenwurm, Anna Therese Day, Lauren Burmaster, Paula Cuneo, Mobile VR)
Step into the life of Aiden ShortCould a Two-Spirit artist and historian in Boise, Idaho, struggling to preserve and revive his heritage in a race against time.
Berlin Paris Terror (UK premiere; Germany, 2017, 20 mins, creator. Jürgen Brügger, Jörg Haaßengier, Astrid Schult, Ricarda Saleh, prod. Dorothee Pitz, Maik Bialk, Sophie Schulenburg, Mobile VR)
Experience the memories of the first responders and surviving hostages of the major terrorist incidents in Germany and Paris.
Every King Tide (International premiere; Australia, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Aaron Fa’Aoso, Craig Deeker, Greer Simpkin, prod. Greer Simpkin, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Mobile VR)
Poruma island in the Torres Strait of Australia is slowly being swallowed by the sea, hear a first-person perspective of a community’s spirit & passion for the island they call home.
Grenfell: Our Home (World premiere; UK, 2018, 20 mins, creator. Jonathan Rudd, prod. Nicki Chandris, Alessandra Bonomolo, Mobile VR)
An experience that combines powerful interviews with beautiful animation to visualise the memories of home still held by the survivors of the Grenfell fire of 14 June 2017.
Life After Hate: Meeting a Monster (International premiere; USA, 2017, 10 mins, creator. Gabriela Arp, prod. Gabriela Arp, Mobile VR)
Witness Angela King relive the memories and motivations of the eight years she spent inside the white power movement and the path she took to get out.
Sanctuaries of Silence (European premiere; USA, 2017, 8 mins, creator. Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Adam Loften, prod. Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Adam Loften, Mobile VR)
A mindful and thought-provoking film that highlights the impact of noise pollution on a journey into Olympic National Park, one of the quietest places in North America.
The Journey (World premiere; USA, Germany, Hong Kong, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Charlotte Windle Mikkelborg, prod. Toby Fricker, Tanya Turkovich, Mobile VR)
Journey through childhood in three of the toughest environments on Earth.
The Real Thing (International premiere; France, 2018, 16 mins, creator. Benoit Felici, Mathais Chelebourg, prod. Benjamin Landsberger, Mobile VR)
Step into a copy of our world, exploring real-life stories inside China’s replicas of Paris, Venice and London.
This Is Climate Change: Feast & Famine (International premiere; USA, Somalia, Brazil, Greenland, 2018, 18 mins, creator. Danfung Dennis, Eric Strauss, prod. Diana El-Osta, Catherine Yrisarri, Mobile VR)
Confront our new reality of catastrophic weather events that are displacing communities and transforming landscapes with alarming speed.
Yemen’s Skies of Terror (World premiere; Yemen, 2018, 6 mins, creator. Viktorija Mickute, Joi Lee, Zahra Rasool, prod. Viktorija Mickute, Joi Lee, Zahra Rasool, Zahra Rasool, Mobile VR)
Witness a rare glimpse of life inside Yemen and learn about the reality of childhood in a country that has suffered three years of devastating air raids falling from the skies.
THE FULL ALTERNATE REALITIES EXHIBITION LINE-UP – BY STRAND:
THE WORLD UNKNOWN TO YOU
Belongings (UK premiere; USA, 2018, 20 mins, creator. John-Paul Marin, Matt Smith, Tea Uglow, Kirstin Sillitoe, prod. Megan Gibbon, Jonathan Richards, Installation)
Experience an intimate interaction with displaced people and their stories of identity, resilience and hope.
Cosmic Top Secret (UK premiere; Denmark / Australia, 2018, 60 mins, creator. Trine Laier, prod. Lise Saxtrup, Interactive Documentary)
An autobiographical adventure game about a girl called T who wants to find out what her Dad did for the Danish Intelligence during the Cold War.
Face To Face (World premiere; USA, 2018, 45 mins, creator. Michelle Gabel, Michaela Holland, prod. Ivana Jiron, Virtual Reality Installation) (Festival Commission)
A compelling installation based on the life of Michelle Fox, who wears a facial prosthetic due to a near fatal gun injury. A Sheffield Doc/Fest commission, supported by Arts Council England.
Hold The World with David Attenborough (European premiere; UK, 2017, 90 mins, creator. Dan Smith, prod. John Cassy, Virtual Reality Installation)
A unique one on one encounter with a digitally realised Sir David Attenborough, in which he teaches you how to examine remarkable specimens from the Natural History Museum’s collection.
Homo Machina (European premiere; France / Germany, 2018, 90 mins, creator. Marc Lustigman, Noam Roubah, Olivier Bonhomme , prod. Laura Fournier, Claire Léger, Interactive Documentary)
Dive into a fantastic universe where the human body becomes a gigantic mechanised factory, inspired by Fritz Kahn‚ Äôs medical illustrations.
The Day The World Changed (International premiere; USA / Japan, 10 mins, 2018, creator. Gabo Arora, Saschka Unseld, prod. Jennifer Tiexiera, Virtual Reality Installation)
An intimate history and commemoration of the victims and survivors of atomic bombings and nuclear arms testing through first-hand testimonies.
Is Anna OK? (UK premiere; UK, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Camila Ruz, prod. Tom Burton, Ben Curtis, Virtual Reality Installation)
A true story of twins thrown apart by one night. Step into their shoes and a beautifully illustrated world, explore memories through objects, and uncover what happened from both perspectives.
Inside a Mind at War (UK premiere; USA, 2017, 22 mins, creator. Sutu, prod. Jake Sally, Amy Rosner, Michelle Zauzig, Jackie Westfall, Virtual Reality Installation)
Explore PTSD and the banal horrors of war through hand-drawn 3D illustrations of Scott England’s memories.
Life in VR – California Coast (World premiere; UK, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Charlotte Jones, Tom Burton, Phil Stuart, prod. Kevin Jorge, David Bradshaw, Virtual Reality Installation)
Experience life in the ocean from the microscopic to the truly gigantic and prepare to encounter the unexpected in an underwater world bursting with life.
The Loss Levels (Festival premiere; UK, 2018, 4 mins, creator. Dan Hett, prod. Dan Hett, Game)
A deeply personal yet playful story of loss based on the artist’s personal experience during the 2017 terrorist attack on the Manchester Arena.
Manic VR (World premiere; Canada, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Kalina Bertin, Sandra Rodriguez, Fred Casia, prod. Sandra Rodriguez, Bob Moore, Nicolas S. Roy, Virtual Reality Installation)
Uncover an extraordinary exploration into the exuberant, frightening, chaotic – but also beautiful – worlds of a bipolar imagination.
Porton Down (World premiere; UK, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Don Webb, Callum Cooper, Sam Von Ehren, Anna Meller, prod. Constance Nuttall, Virtual Reality Installation)
Encounter the experiences of an ex-serviceman who unwittingly found himself in a bizarre, mind-altering military trial that changed the course of his life.
Sensible Data / Mixed Emotions (World premiere; Switzerland, 2018, 5 mins, creator. Martin Hertig, prod. Martin Hertig, Installation)
Discover how the machine sees you and decide whether that re-informs how you see yourself.
Terminal 3 (European premiere; USA / Pakistan, 2018, 12 mins, creator. Asad J. Malik, prod. Jill Klekas, Jake Sally, Nigel Tierney, Zeda Stone, Augmented Reality)
Explore contemporary Muslim identities in the US through the lens of an airport interrogation.
Vestige (European premiere; UK / France / USA, 2018, 15 mins, creator. Aaron Bradbury, Paul Mowbray, prod. Paul Mowbray, Antoine Cayrol, Jill Klekas Basmajian, Virtual Reality Installation)
Journey into the mind of Lisa as she remembers her lost love, Erik through a series of fragmented memories.
The Voice of the Unicorn (World premiere; Japan / UK, 2018, loop, creator. Richard Butchins, prod. Richard Butchins, Patrick Knill, Installation)
A provocative exploration of the art of the non-verbal that challenges how we see and understand language, disability, art and alienation.
Where is Home (UK premiere; Nigeria / Canada, 2017, 30 mins, creator. Ifeatu Nnaobi, prod. Ifeatu Nnaobi, Interactive Documentary)
A journey through West Africa that asks the simple question What is home?, but reveals a complex range of thought provoking answers.
BETTER KNOWN TRUTHS
Authentically Us: We’re Still Here (European premiere; USA, 2017, 3 mins, creator. Jesse Ayala, prod. Amy Seidenwurm, Anna Therese Day, Lauren Burmaster, Paula Cuneo, Mobile VR)
Step into the life of Aiden ShortCould a Two-Spirit artist and historian in Boise, Idaho, struggling to preserve and revive his heritage in a race against time.
Berlin Paris Terror (UK premiere; Germany, 2017, 20 mins, creator. Jürgen Brügger, Jörg Haaßengier, Astrid Schult, Ricarda Saleh, prod. Dorothee Pitz, Maik Bialk, Sophie Schulenburg, Mobile VR)
Experience the memories of the first responders and surviving hostages of the major terrorist incidents in Germany and Paris.
Every King Tide (International premiere; Australia, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Aaron Fa’Aoso, Craig Deeker, Greer Simpkin, prod. Greer Simpkin, Tanith Glynn-Maloney, Mobile VR)
Poruma island in the Torres Strait of Australia is slowly being swallowed by the sea, hear a first-person perspective of a community’s spirit & passion for the island they call home.
Grenfell: Our Home (World premiere; UK, 2018, 20 mins, creator. Jonathan Rudd, prod. Nicki Chandris, Alessandra Bonomolo, Mobile VR)
An experience that combines powerful interviews with beautiful animation to visualise the memories of home still held by the survivors of the Grenfell fire of 14 June 2017.
Life After Hate: Meeting a Monster (International premiere; USA, 2017, 10 mins, creator. Gabriela Arp, prod. Gabriela Arp, Mobile VR)
Witness Angela King relive the memories and motivations of the eight years she spent inside the white power movement and the path she took to get out.
Sanctuaries of Silence (European premiere; USA, 2017, 8 mins, creator. Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Adam Loften, prod. Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, Adam Loften, Mobile VR)
A mindful and thought-provoking film that highlights the impact of noise pollution on a journey into Olympic National Park, one of the quietest places in North America.
The Journey (World premiere; USA, Germany, Hong Kong, 2018, 10 mins, creator. Charlotte Windle Mikkelborg, prod. Toby Fricker, Tanya Turkovich, Mobile VR)
Journey through childhood in three of the toughest environments on Earth.
The Real Thing (International premiere; France, 2018, 16 mins, creator. Benoit Felici, Mathais Chelebourg, prod. Benjamin Landsberger, Mobile VR)
Step into a copy of our world, exploring real-life stories inside China’s replicas of Paris, Venice and London.
This Is Climate Change: Feast & Famine (International premiere; USA, Somalia, Brazil, Greenland, 2018, 18 mins, creator. Danfung Dennis, Eric Strauss, prod. Diana El-Osta, Catherine Yrisarri, Mobile VR)
Confront our new reality of catastrophic weather events that are displacing communities and transforming landscapes with alarming speed.
Yemen’s Skies of Terror (World premiere; Yemen, 2018, 6 mins, creator. Viktorija Mickute, Joi Lee, Zahra Rasool, prod. Viktorija Mickute, Joi Lee, Zahra Rasool, Zahra Rasool, Mobile VR)
Witness a rare glimpse of life inside Yemen and learn about the reality of childhood in a country that has suffered three years of devastating air raids falling from the skies