10 – 16 November
Depot is one of a select number of UK venues to stage an interactive virtual reality experience accompanying the film Unrest – a documentary about the chronic fatigue syndrome ME.
Unrest VR is an interactive non-fiction experience inspired by Jennifer Brea’s feature documentary Unrest (Sundance 2017 Special Jury Award). An immersive journey into Jen’s experience of an invisible illness, myalgic encephalomyelitis, the project contrasts the painful solitary confinement of a bedroom world with the kinetic freedom of an inner dreamscape. When you’re too sick to leave your bed, where do you go?
Unrest VR premiered in the Virtual Arcade at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. It was also showcased at Sheffield Doc/Fest in the Immersive VR section of the Alternate Realities Exhibition, where it won the Alternate Realities VR Award.
The virtual reality experience will take place in Depot’s Studio all week from Friday 10 November. Customers will be invited to lie on a bed wearing a special haptic feedback headset. The installation uses Oculus Rift (Virtual Reality) headsets and touch controllers, with optional physical accessories to enter the experience of ME. The sessions are for one person at a time, lasting just under 15 minutes . The experience will be open to the public one hour before and after each screening of Unrest.
Please note: Virtual reality is an immersive experience that can be intense. Frightening, violent or anxiety provoking content can cause your body to react as if it were real. If you have a history of discomfort or physical symptoms when experiencing these situations then be aware and prepared to remove the headset at the first sign of discomfort. If you are pregnant, have a pacemaker or history of seizures, please consult a medical professional before using the equipment.