The Gallery FMV game - interactive film releases in select London cinemas as part of London Games Festival 2023
Showcasing the FMV game - interactive film as the convergence of Film and Video Games; The Gallery will screen in various cinemas during the London Games Festival as an official side event from 29th March to 7th April.
Written and directed by Paul Raschid, one of the most prolific interactive filmmakers, The Gallery is a thrilling combination of hostage thriller and social drama with a dash of world film festival cinema aesthetic. Two Decades. Two identities. It’s going to take everything you’ve got to survive the night.
The Gallery has been created to engage both film fans and gamers with its blend of high production values, stellar cast and a nuanced script depicting the film’s two time periods - 1981 and 2021 - both of which are of considerable political, social and cultural significance in UK history.
The cinema version lasts around 140 minutes with a screening of both time periods or 70 minutes with a screening of one time period.
The cinema screening takes place with a Facilitator “playing” The Gallery on a lap-top. As the audience enters, they are given “Glowsticks” which they use to vote for their choices. The Facilitator pauses the film for 2-3 seconds at each decision point. The majority choice of the audience as indicated by the “Glowsticks” prevails and the film continues.
The Gallery cast includes George Blagden (Louis XIV in Versailles and Athelstan in Vikings), Anna Popplewell (Susan Pevensie in Disney’s Narnia franchise), Kara Tointon (Mr. Selfridge and Eastenders); Rebecca Root (The Queen’s Gambit); Richard Fleeshman (The Sandman and Coronation Street), Shannon Tarbet (Killing Eve and Love Sarah) and Fehinti Balogun (I May Destroy You).
“The Gallery” has secured universally positive reviews at its film festival appearances. Following its world premiere as part of the “Cinema - Past, Present and Future” section at Dinard 2022, “The Gallery” was the opening night film at the British Film Week at Le Grand Logis, Bruz near Rennes in January. The Rennes screening was attended by 250+ high school students aged 16-18 who engaged enthusiastically with the interactive film concept and gave a huge ovation at the end of the screening.
The film was also screened at the Cine O’clock Festival in Lyon in February and had its UK premiere at the Independent Directions (INDIs) Festival in Leeds on 22nd February 2023.
The Gallery is currently available on Steam, PS4/5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and on the App. Store and Play Store.