Brazilian virtual reality film, "The Line" is in competition at the upcoming Venice Film Festival. Directed by Richard
Laganaro
, one of the most innovative VR directors today, and narrated by Rodrigo Santoro
, the film tells a heartwarming story of Pedro and Rosa,
miniature dolls
perfect for each
other, but
reluctant to break boundaries to
overcome limitations
and live out their love story.
“After working on many cinematic 360o experiences, my goal with 'The Line' is to create a narrative that could only
be experienced in VR. The story needs the user to exist. The interactions help the evolution of the story, as metaphors of the themes and mirroring the emotional curve of the narrative in the user’s body. To amplify the sense of presence, I’ve chosen not to use any cuts or teleportation throughout the experience," said the director. "All user’s movements in the physical world is equivalent in the virtual world
.The routine and responsibility from adulthood keep us away from moving our bodies. Inspired by contemporary dance,
“The Line” invites the user to explore different levels - low, medium and high - moving freely as a child would normally do while playing. The limitations of time and space embraces a story that takes place around a scale model."
"A miniature world with real-scale conflicts. The setting in a miniature model brings up questions related to routine, repetition and the fear of change, all consequences for those who live in big cities. To me, it seemed natural to explore those themes having work and responsibility as part of my DNA, inherited from my parents and grandparents," he continued. "Like myself, they were also born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil’s most workaholic city."
São Paulo is the most diverse city in Brazil and one of the most multicultural cities in the world. The city’s varied population is because of the many waves of immigration back in the 1870s. Representing this unique cultural diversity, the production team - in São Paulo - brought an authentic and well-founded approach to the whole experience. "This is distinctively reflected in aesthetic choices ranging from the design of the characters to materials and sounds. Landscapes, buildings, and trees were all created based on historical research and bring together artistic and ethnic influences from different parts of Brazil," he said. "By choosing as the backdrop of the experience the 1940s, we wanted to re-emerge important cultural elements of Brazil which are unfamiliar to the audience."
The director also said
the original soundtrack of the experience is composed
of “
choro
”, the first characteristically Brazilian genre of urban popular music. “'The Line' is both a native and a global narrative. Telling a love story in a nonfictional time and place, brings a fresh perspective compared to the more conventional sci-fi, fantasy, inner memory-related fictional immersive experiences," he explained. "Finally, it is a gratifying opportunity to bring new references, colors, textures, and sounds, beyond the Northern Hemisphere influence, into an immersive narrative; Affecting the standards of this new format with a more universal approach,
” said
Laganaro
.
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