2023 a Requiem in VR: From Turmoil to Transcendence
"2023 a Requiem" is an immersive VR odyssey that takes the viewer on a profound journey through the duality of existence—contrasting the chaos of human conflict with the serenity of cosmic order. The film commences in the quietude of an apartment, focusing on a picture of a young couple that symbolizes both the intimacy of personal history and the universality of human relationships.
As the evening tranquility is shattered by the distant cacophony of explosions, the boundaries of the apartment dissolve in a maelstrom. The room's windows explode, and amidst the swirling debris, the camera—a proxy for the viewer's consciousness—is drawn inexorably toward a television screen, the portal through which we transition from terrestrial turmoil to the silent vastness of space.
In orbit, the viewer encounters astronauts maneuvering an enigmatic object—a conduit to revelation. With the majestic Earth transitioning from night to day, Beethoven's 'Ode to Joy' heralds the emergence of a celestial visage, the serene countenance of Antonello da Messina's 'The Virgin Annunciate.' Her gaze, once confined to canvas, now adorns the cosmos, a silent sentinel amidst the stars.
This moment of sublime beauty is abruptly juxtaposed with the second image: the aftermath of destruction on Earth, where the same face is rendered on a mural amidst ruins. This stark contrast embodies the film's central theme, underscored by the haunting words of Alexis de Tocqueville: "When the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness." It's a meditation on the consequences of human actions, a requiem for what has been lost and a reflection on what endures.
Through the cutting-edge medium of Virtual Reality 360 stereoscopic viewing, "2023 a Requiem" offers not just a narrative to be observed but an experience to be lived. It invites audiences to navigate the interplay of light and darkness, sound and silence, presence and absence—engaging with the film as active participants in a journey that questions, commemorates, and transcends.
Best 360º (Additional Category)
Directed by: Ragnar di Marzo