SBS VR
Untold Australia season two with world-first virtual reality project Inside Manus
Available now on the SBS VR app, Inside Manus gives Australians an insight into life on Manus Island through the personal experiences of three current detainees – Abdul Aziz Muhamat from Sudan, Imran Mohammad from Myanmar (Burma), and Amir Taghinia from Iran. Alongside first-hand audio recordings, the stories are brought to life by hand-drawn illustrations that recount scenes from behind the borders of Manus Island and of the detainees’ home countries and families.
John-Paul Marin, Manager, SBS Digital Creative Labs, said: “Through VR and 360° storytelling, SBS’s Untold Australia gives Australians a rare insight into personal experiences of diverse communities, immersing them in virtual worlds that drive an emotional connection and encourage a deeper understanding.”
The second season of Untold Australia continues with VR projects Every King Tide and A Thin Black Line, which will premiere in the coming months.
Every King Tide is a VR documentary telling the story of the people of Poruma, who are at risk of losing their homes, their livelihoods, their culture, and their connection to history and country. Poruma, a tiny island in the Torres Strait with a population of 200, is slowly being eroded and swallowed by the sea.
A Thin Black Line, directed by ATOM award-winner Douglas Watkin and with art by acclaimed Aboriginal artist Vernon Ah Kee, follows the story of a young Torres Strait Islander girl’s evacuation and separation from family during the 1942 Darwin bombings.
Untold Australia season two is co-funded by Screen Queensland, as part of an SBS and Screen Queensland initiative to provide increased opportunities for Queensland-based filmmakers and creatives.
Inside Manus is available as a 360° video on the SBS VR app on the Oculus Store for Samsung Gear VR, and the App Store and Google Play for Google Cardboard.
In a special partnership with the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), audiences can also view Inside Manus as an interactive room-scale VR installation between 15 August and 18 August.
The SBS VR app is free to download and is available for Apple iOS and Google Android devices as well as on the Samsung Gear VR