Chris Lavis, Maciek Szczerbowski
/ 6’ / Canada
Step into the stillness of an abandoned school and enter “Gymnasia,” a place where the ghostly ephemera of a lost childhood await you. Recall the particular sights and sounds of a child’s world through the echoes of ball games, school lessons and choir recitals. “Gymnasia” reanimates the memories of those forgotten days. This ground-breaking, cinematic VR experience is the first collaboration between the National Film Board of Canada, Felix & Paul Studios and Clyde Henry Productions. The project flawlessly blends 3D 360-degree video, stop-motion, miniatures and CGI, and pushes the art of puppet animation into uncharted territory. “Gymnasia” is a dark dream - unsettling and weirdly wonderful. It is the first VR experience to induce the elusive anxiety that occurs when the lines between what’s real and unreal are blurred beyond belief
