Phi Centre is “VR TO GO”

Featuring a premiere of Alegría – A Spark of Light, created by Felix & Paul Studios, PHI VR TO GO explores the best narrative content in virtual reality from the comfort of your home.

With the current situation keeping us from visiting culture, it’s time to let culture come to us. PHI VR TO GO is one of many initiatives introduced by PHI that offers a new method to disseminate art. The ready-to-use VR headset rental service provides a collection of virtual reality pieces carefully selected by our team of PHI curators, delivering an additional showcase for creators.

PHI VR TO GO is another way our drive to innovate makes the art of tomorrow accessible to all. Our current situation forces us to revisit our ways of doing things and to accelerate the steps we must make to support artists and to disseminate their work.

Phoebe Greenberg, Director and Founder of PHI

A first look

Cirque du Soleil and Felix & Paul Studios reunite to unveil their latest virtual reality experience, Alegría – A Spark of Light: a universal tale of renewal and illumination. Taking advantage of the capabilities of virtual reality, this 360° 3D production offers an unparalleled degree of immersion.

PHI has always been an important part of our immersive community, helping us share the power of virtual reality with their audiences. PHI VR TO GO is yet another example of this commitment and we are proud to include our new production with Cirque du Soleil in it. Alegría – A Spark of Light is a story about the ways in which art and light can illuminate a world shrouded in darkness, and there could not be a more fitting moment.

Felix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël, co-founders of Felix & Paul Studios

Immersion to go

PHI VR TO GO is a unique way to escape (from home) by exploring multiple universes. It’s as easy as simply booking an ecological delivery online (by bicycle or electric vehicle) directly to your home, this includes pick-up as well. Rental is available anywhere on the Island of Montreal.

Programming

  • Accused no.2: Walter Sisulu: directed by Nicolas Champeaux and Gilles Porte, produced by la Générale de Production. France |15 min | 2018
  • Daughters of Chibok: produced & directed by Joel ‘Kachi Benson. Nigeria | 11 min | 2019
  • Everest: directed and written by Jonathan Griffith. USA | 10 min | 2019
  • Gymnasia: directed by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski, produced by the National Film Board of Canada and Félix & Paul Studios. Canada | 7 min | 2019
  • Le Lac: written & directed by Nyasha Kadandara. Tchad/Kenya/Zimbabwe | 9 min | 2019
  • Notes on Blindness: Into Darkness: directed by Arnaud Colinart, Amaury La Burthe, Peter Middleton and James Spinney, produced by Ex Nihilo, Arte and Audiogaming. France/United Kingdom | 7 min | 2016
  • Space Explorers: Taking Flight: directed by Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël, Félix & Paul Studios. Canada | 20 minutes | 2018
  • The Real Thing: directed by Benoit Felici, codirected by Mathias Chelebourg, produced by Artline Films, DV Group and ARTE France. France | 2018 | 16 minutes
  • Traveling While Black: directed by Roger Ross Williams and Ayesha Nadarajah in collaboration with Félix & Paul Studios, produced by Ayesha Nadarajah and Jihan Robinson. USA | 21 min | 2018
  • Alegría – A Spark of Light: produced by Félix & Paul Studios and Cirque du Soleil. Canada | 14 min | 2020

Each rental includes:

  • 1 Oculus Go headset (including the multimedia player designed by the PHI to optimize your viewing experience).
  • The Immersion Catalog of 10 films
  • Delivery and pick-up from your home
  • *No computer or software is necessary

Rates

  • Headset and film catalog for 2 and a half days: 43.25$ + taxes
  • Fixed rate green delivery to anywhere on the Island of Montreal: 19$
  • Refundable deposit: 250$

Hygiene measures
PHI meticulously follows the protocols of hygiene measures according to the directives put forth by the Public Health Agency of Canada: from the preparation of headsets to the retrieval of used headsets as well as throughout the ecological home delivery processes. All equipment is carefully disinfected using the ultraviolet process Cleanbox, is wrapped in two bags without any contact, and the delivery is conducted in such a manner that there is no physical contact between you and the employee.

Leave a Reply

@ Magazine

Innovative live show HOME X will be premiered in London (and online) this February

The award-winning team behind HOME X is excited to announce their next cutting-edge production, combining theatre, music, gaming, and VR technology. This innovative live performance was created in collaboration with technologists and artists in London and Hong Kong. The team

XR Through The Womanist Gaze 2/3: Telling Women-Related Stories With AR, with Adriana Vecchioli

Interactive augmented reality storytelling has been known to simulate an unusual imaginative connection between the audience and the character, drawing the audience into a new environment. Adriana Vecchioli employs this interactiveness to address societal issues faced by women globally. With

“If you want to create empathy, it doesn’t matter what kind of medium, there’s craft in telling the story” – Steye Hallema (ANCESTORS)

ANCESTORS is a unique participatory journey six generations into the future, exploring how today’s choices shape tomorrow’s world. In a large-group experience, the piece uses AI and guides you by your smartphone to connect with others around you. Directed by

“We aim to create a dialogue between the creators and the audience” – Mark Atkin (CPH:DOX Inter:Active)

Documentary festivals are important meetings to contemplate the reflection of our changing societies. On the interactive side, they are both laboratories for narrative and technological experimentation, and spaces for debate. CPH:DOX (Denmark) is one of the key interactive documentary events

“The history of music is the history of its technological innovations” – Roman Rappak (RISTBAND)

After a successful presence at SXSW, immersive technology and creative studio Ristband just visited GITEX Africa, Morocco, where it presented its AI-Driven Immersive Concert. Recently, they headed to the Shanghai International Film Festival where their mixed reality concert and standalone

Edito⎜Chronique(s) of a Digital Art Biennale

Last month saw the opening of the 3rd Biennale des Imaginaires Numériques organized by Chroniques. Spread over Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, Avignon, Arles and Istres, exhibitions, workshops, performances and concerts take place over three teeming months. One of the highlights of digital