The Deserted: VR

The Deserted, a film by Tsai, Ming-Liang. The artisan of cinematography approaches virtual reality, pushing the boundaries of VR film. A film produced by tech pioneer HTC Virtual Reality Content Centre, and co-produced with Jaunt China. The 55-minute long film's title in its original Chinese means "the Home of Lan Re Temple" and is a short ghost story stripped from a longer novel. Lan Re Temple is an abandoned temple in which ghosts and spirits dwell. Three years ago, due to poor health, Tsai moved to an abandoned ruin in the mountains with Lee Kang-sheng and began a life closer to nature, fixing up the old house, tilling the land and living with the insects, birds and other creatures. Tsai said, "We were surrounded by other abandoned and dilapidated houses. Sometimes, I get the feeling that it's not that we don't have neighbours, but that we can't see them. I told Lee Kang-sheng, 'We are living at Lan Re Temple." The Deserted stripped away traditional film techniques and is presented in 360 degrees, like a theatre. The viewer is placed in the scene and is allowed to look freely at the construction of the environment. And immersed in the handcraft of the scenes.