VR MOVIE THE UNKNOWN

The interactive virtual reality movie The Unknown integrates modern VR and 360 filming technologies and programming into a poetic collage about Marianne Werefkin (1860–1938). A famous artist from Russia who lived in Lithuania. She was one of the founders of Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), a group of Expressionist painters in Munich. The filmmakers reject the usual linear biographical story. Instead, they take the viewers into incomplete and fragmented memories and give them the liberty to walk through those memories. Like in space-time story rooms, the viewers will create their own collage of the story. Furthermore, will move freely through the three dimensions of space, and the fourth dimension, time. Fragments of life in the environs of Utena,. Several actresses playing the same character, and Werefkin’s own poetic texts create an original collage of musings about memory. What is going on in our memory? What do we choose to remember about ourselves? Is it possible to gather these fragments into one whole? In the mosaic of these questions, the viewer becomes a detective trying to piece together details, objects, memories, and texts into a portrait of the well-known artist that would be close to them.

THE EXPIERIENCE

The VR movie focuses on Marianne Werefkin’s return. In 1910, to Vyžuonėliai Manor in Utena district where she spent her childhood. During her stay there, she realises she has not returned alone… Following the viewer’s selections, Werefkin travels through her own memories, reflections on herself, events, and periods of time. It eventually develops into a dualistic, hard-to-define, and generalised picture of a dramatic and profound personality. It is difficult to describe, to summarise, to integrate the details of our memories into a linear story. Can human life become a mere narrative?

The VR movie “THE UNKNOWN” was filmed using a unique, cinema-grade 360 content capture method. It was developed by Gluk Media in collaboration with Nebula, a cluster of film and visual arts industries. The exclusive technological platform made it possible to realise previously unfeasible plans. Including a 360 camera drone flight and a boat ride.

CREATIVE TEAM

The film is based on Marianne Werefkin’s ‘Letters to a Stranger’. Her letters to her lover Alexej von Jawlensky, and to her father Vladimir Werefkin. The film was initiated by the Utena Region Local Action Group. Produced by the visual experimental Kosmos Theatre in cooperation with Gluk Media, the leaders of virtual reality in the Baltic countries.

The scriptwriter and director is Žilvinas Vingelis,

Designer Dovilė Gecaitė,

Composer Mykolas Natalevičius,

Producer Darius Vizbaras

Actors:

Vilma Raubaitė, Paulina Simutytė, Aleksas Kazanavičius, Ramūnas Cicėnas, and Erika Račkytė.

The creative team thanks the art critic Laima Laučkaitė and the translator Andrius Merkevičius for their help in making the film.

PREMIER 2022 OCTOBER