Affiliation:
1. University of Michigan-Dearborn
Abstract
Virtual reality (VR) offers an exciting new way to represent crises of forced
migration. Like many new technologies, though, VR risks exacerbating
the challenges that exist in more traditional modes of representation,
particularly that of documentary film. This essay examines two VR
projects that depict migrants attempting to cross borders: Carne y Arena
(Virtually Present, Physically Invisible) by Alejandro González Iñárritu
and We Wait, co-produced by Aardman Studios and the BBC. The two
projects differ in technique but share many characteristics as they attempt
to encourage empathy in the viewer through the use of immersive
technology.
Publisher
Amsterdam University Press