NFB 's Kaleidoscopic Interactive VR joyride Museum of Symmetry - available free from Steam and Viveport, starting August 9

A VR mind-and-body romp through the highest clouds to the ocean deep in the
feel-good alter-universe of cartoonist and animator Paloma Dawkins

August 9, 2018 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada

Beginning August 9, HTC Vive VR headset users can experience an absurdist mind-and-body romp through the highest clouds to the ocean deep when they download the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) VR adventure game Museum of Symmetry for free from Steam and Viveport.

Museum of Symmetry is the explosive feel-good alter-universe of cartoonist and animator Paloma Dawkins, brought to life by pioneer VR studio Casa Rara.

A room-scale VR experience with 2D animation in a 3D playground, Museum of Symmetry takes the player through earth, fire, wind and water, disrupting conventional game storytelling to create an unexpected pleasure-positive trip through nature and self. An impish game mistress welcomes you into a delightfully disorienting pleasure dome inspired by geometry and nature—and wired with infectious dance beats. There are no rules here. Just enjoy!

Museum of Symmetry is the NFB’s Oscar-winning Animation Studio’s first foray into interactive VR. It sets out to test assumptions about “reality” versus “believability” in this powerful new medium. The goal is to offer the player a fantastical journey that is both emotional and physical, and to test the possibilities for suspending disbelief in VR. The decision to use hand-drawn 2D animation, which hasn't been seen previously in VR, is a conscious extension of this goal—to embrace a stylized reality from the imagination and pen of a talented artist.

Museum of Symmetry was launched in April 2018 at A MAZE, the 7th International Games and Playful Media Festival in Berlin, followed by a selection to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s VR@ANNECY section, featuring 11 virtual reality experiences chosen from among 75 original works from 18 countries.

It will have its Canadian festival premiere this fall, in the Virtual Reality Official Competition at the Ottawa International Animation Festival, September 26 to 30. Prior to that, from August 12 to 16, Museum of Symmetry will be at SIGGRAPH 2018—the world’s largest and most prestigious computer graphics conference and industry event—where it will be showcased in the Immersive Pavilion.

Museum of Symmetry is produced by Maral Mohammadian and executive produced by Michael Fukushima for the NFB.

About the NFB

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is one of the world’s leading digital content hubs, creating groundbreaking interactive documentaries and animation, mobile content, installations and participatory experiences. NFB interactive productions and digital platforms have won 100 awards, including 18 Webbys. To access acclaimed NFB content, visit NFB.ca or download its apps for mobile devices.

–30–

Stay Connected

Online Screening Room: NFB.ca
NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog