Breaking ground as the first feature-length documentary to be filmed entirely in virtual reality, Joe Hunting’s We Met In Virtual Reality was a highlight at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and will now arrive on HBO Max on July 27. The film explores digital connections made on the platform VR Chat, many of which began as the pandemic was gearing up and many were facing a world of isolation. Ahead of the release the first trailer has now arrived.
Juan Barquin said in their review, “There’s a casualness to the way Hunting drops the viewer into VRChat, truly making one feel like a part of the scene and space from the get-go—not far removed from how Frederick Wiseman’s films hone in on the atmosphere and perspective of their subjects. In late 2020, with COVID still raging, people communed within the safety of virtual reality, creating everything from karaoke bars and amusement parks for parties to recreations of films (e.g. Jurassic Park) for users to explore. There’s sometimes an absurdity to how cartoonish avatars clash with the surprisingly realistic spaces that have been built, be it a classroom or mountain range—this is part of the documentary’s charm. “
See the trailer below.
We Met In Virtual Reality arrives on HBO Max on July 27.