We Met in Virtual Reality

It took Toaster several months before he turned on his microphone – and he only did this when he met belly-dance instructor DustBunny. By comparison, Jenny didn’t need anything like that in order to understand Ray. She teaches sign language. Shot entirely on the VRChat virtual platform, this documentary film explores human relationships at a time when the pandemic prevented people from meeting face to face. A surprisingly intimate film, it draws on the contrast between anime avatars with full bosoms, demonic horns, or dragon tails and the lonely voices hidden behind them. Director Joe Hunting depicts virtual space as a place where you can finally be yourself and real emotions are not a glitch. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)