Virtual Cinema: Program Three

Q&As with Eyelydian director Ryan Schmal Murray at the 9:30pm program on Oct. 11 & 7pm program on Oct. 12 (joined by Homeless: A Los Angeles Story director Jonathan Glancey)

Your Spiritual Temple Sucks
Dir. John Hsu, Taiwan, 2017, 10m
Plagued by problems at home with his wife, his finances, and his . . . everything, a desperate Mr. Chang wills himself into his “Spiritual Temple,” where he seeks the help of his personal guardian to put his life back on track in this surreal and hilarious VR experience.

Last Whispers
Dir. Lena Herzog, USA, 2018, 7m
Language shapes us, defining individuals and cultures. Yet the world’s linguistic diversity is in danger of collapsing; an entire language is lost every two weeks. Herzog’s strikingly immersive VR piece is equal parts lament for disappearing languages and celebration of those on the brink of extinction.

On October 16-20, Herzog will present the extended version of Last Whispers, along with multiple panels and open discussions, at Montclair State University’s Alexander Kasser Theater as part of Peak Performances. See more details here.

World Premiere
Homeless: A Los Angeles Story
Dir. Jonathan Glancy, USA, 2019, 16m
This heartbreaking and revelatory immersive documentary shines a light on the Los Angeles homeless crisis and those individuals trying to make a change. The film explores multiple aspects of this crisis: how people find themselves without homes, how their belongings are treated as trash by government officials, and how the larger city community often values personal income and business interests above their dignity. 

World Premiere
Eyelydian
Dir. Ryan Schmal Murray, USA, 2019, 3m
This evocative, wholly original 360-degree experience begins by presenting the audience with abstract images, colors, and sounds meant to replicate sunlight against closed eyelids before evolving into a meditative, dreamlike state.