The 28th Raindance Film Festival didn’t let anyone stop us, and now we are here to announce this year’s Festival Immersive Award winners!
This year of Immersive VR experiences was astounding! We here at Raindance were thrilled to host our digital experience with folks from all over the world, and now we are here to celebrate some incredible work. Here are our 2020 Award winners!
Powered by HTC VIVE’s Viveport and VRChat, this year’s Raindance Immersive (28 October – 22 November) comprised immersive VR games and experiences competing for ten jury awards, as well as the Spirit of Raindance Award which is selected by the festival team – Raindance is the only film festival in the world to recognize and award VR on this scale. For the fifth year, Raindance celebrates the creators and game developers who are pushing the artistic boundaries of the medium of XR, enhancing the art of storytelling in bold and daring ways. These awards celebrate the creativity, ingenuity, and artistry expressed in immersive storytelling, world building and games over the last year.
Thank you to all filmmakers and jury, and let’s join in congratulating our 2020 Award Winners!
Best Narrative Experience
Winner: The Under Presents: Tempest
For a limited theatrical run, join Tempest, a one-of-a-kind immersive theatre experience! Travel through time and space to enact an exciting story of love and revenge – with a little magic, of course! Inspired by Shakespeare’s famed tale, join your intrepid guide Prospero in this intimate, interactive performance. In order to bring Prospero to life, the actor must enlist the help of the audience. The line between real and virtual, and truth and fiction, blur as audience members are “cast” as Prospero’s spirits to realize an interactive, virtual version of the story.
Best Documentary Experience
Winner: Fly
From a multiple award-winning VR team and Oscar-winning special effects team, Fly enables you to become a time-traveling pilot – from the earliest imaginings of Leonardo da Vinci and his ornithopter to the Wright Brothers’ success on Kitty Hawk Beach and, ultimately, into one potential future of flight.
Best Animation Experience
Winner: Paper Birds
Narrated by Archie Yates, Paper Birds is the story of a short-sighted child with an exceptional talent for music, who must find his way through the world of darkness to bring back his sister. A story of inspiration, intuition, and emotion, the film explores how these qualities are often invoked by music.
Best Multiplayer Experience
Winner: Dr. Crumb’s School for Disobedient Pets
Honourable Mentions: The Devouring
The Devouring is co-op horror game for up to four players, created on the VRChat social platform. After embarking on a road trip that goes wrong‚ you are led into a mysterious manor. In its guest room, there is a letter warning you not to leave…
The Under Presents: Tempest
Best Immersive Game
Winner:
Winner: The Devouring
Best Immersive World
Winner: The Devouring
Honourable Mention: Maranga
Outstanding Achievement in Art
Winner: Paper Beast
Somewhere in the abyssal depths of the internet, wildlife has blossomed. You are the first human to set foot in this mysterious ecosystem. A strange force seems to weigh on its balance. Explore a world populated by majestic and intelligent creatures. Grab them to feel their behaviour adapt to your actions. The gameplay is based on a unique physics engine. Control the environment. Melt the ice, withstand storms and fly away. Join forces with intriguing and endearing origami creatures to solve the mysteries of Paper Beast.
Honourable Mention: Maranga
Outstanding Achievement in Audio
Winner: Paper Beast
Outstanding Achievement in Design
Winner: Dr. Crumb’s School for Disobedient Pets
You and your friends have been recruited to join the Virtual Investigations Agency (V.I.A.), an underground group, using the latest VR technology to solve the kind of mysteries the big guys can’t. For your first mission, Chief will be your handler. We need your help to investigate Dr. Crumb and his so-called “School for Disobedient Pets”. Find a way to take down the mad scientist before time runs out.
Honourable Mention: The Under Presents: Tempest
Discovery Award: Best Debut
Winner: Rinlo
Rinlo is an exciting new adventure game developed explicitly for VR. Through the use of complex puzzles, enthralling characters and the exploration of a steampunk dystopia, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself fully in an adventure story like no other.
Spirit of Raindance Award
Winner: Scarecrow VRC
Honourable Mention: VRChat Community
About Raindance
Raindance aims to promote and support independent filmmaking and filmmakers.
From new and emerging to industry pros, Raindance connects, trains, supports, and promotes visual storytellers through every step of their career.
The Raindance Film Festival runs each Autumn in London's Leicester Square.
Raindance has been delivering film training since 1992. A wide range of Open Classes to a 2 year HND Level 5 BTEC in Moving Images to a Postgraduate Film Degree are delivered to students on five continents, both in person and online.
