Texada, an immersive virtual-reality (VR) documentary by filmmakers Claire Sanford and Josephine Anderson, had its world premiere at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) DocLab in 2023.
The 17-minute impressionistic project, produced by the National Film Board of Canada, will be coming to qathet Art Centre (qAC), Texada Island Museum and qathet International Film Festival this March.
"We hope that viewers will have an experience that shows a side of Texada that they may not have experienced before," said Sanford. "Despite being so close, many people haven't had the chance to explore this magnificent island, and in the project we take you into places you would otherwise not have a chance to visit, namely Texada's limestone quarries."
During the first stop, co-directors Anderson and Sanford will discuss Texada at Powell River Public Library on Tuesday, March 4, at 7 pm. Next, the documentary will make its way to Texada Island Museum and be co-presented by Texada Heritage Society, on March 5 and March 6.
"It's amazing to be able to bring the project back to the community where it was created, and to the place where Claire grew up," said Anderson. "In creating the work, the residents of the island have been so generous in their participation, granting access to filming spaces and giving of time. They have embraced this technology, which may to some feel high-tech and alien, and have purchased two VR headsets to keep the work as a part of their permanent collection."
Anderson and Sanford will give a VR workshop during the film festival on March 10 at the Patricia Theatre. Texada will be screened throughout the festival and ocular headsets will be available to be reserved. The last stop will be at qathet Art Centre on March 24, which will continue until April 3.
There will be five headsets available during the exhibition in order for people to experience 360-degree live-action footage, captured across the island, with 3D animation, through the ocular headset.
"We are thrilled to be able to introduce this technology and new form of storytelling to this rural community [Texada and qathet], and experience the joy of being with many people who will be experiencing VR for the first time," said Sanford. "This work is not a typical documentary, and not a typical VR piece, so viewers have been both surprised and impressed by the use of the medium to tell a story in this immersive way. I think people have been surprised by how universal the project feels, despite being about this specific rock found on this specific island in this specific part of the world."
To watch the movie trailer, go to vimeo.com/910808984. To find out more about the Texada VR experience, go to qathetart.ca/texada-vr.
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