Virtual Reality at Montreal's Phi Centre and abroad

Virtual Reality (VR) isn't just a gimmick for gamers.

Theimmersivemultimedia technology isgoing mainstream withnews outlets and documentary filmmakers expanding their craft through it.

Montreal's digital art darling, thePhi Centre, is showcasing this technology with a new space calledthe VR Garden.

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MyriamAchard, the curator of the VR Garden,says they decided to create a permanent space for people to watch VR projects after the success of a show calledSensory Storieslast summer.

"We had 12,000 visitors for that show. A lot of it was interactiveimmersiveVR. People want to know. They want to try it for the first time. We thought why don't we give the public an opportunity to try a new form of storytelling."

From the New York Times to Montreal

Some of the works in the garden now come from NYT VR, the virtual reality unit of The New York Times.

It's the first time the NYT VR works are presented in an installation format.

"The Phi Centre's Virtual Reality Garden is a perfect venue to experience some of the rich,immersivestorytelling that NYT VR has to offer,"associate editor of the NY Times, SamDolnick said.

10 minutes in another world

The Displaced, directed by Imraan Ismail and Ben C. Solomon documents the story of three children displayed by war and persecution, a boy from Ukraine, another boy living in a swamp inSouth Sudan and a young girl who fled Syria for Lebanon.

Visitors get to don theSamsungVR Gear headset and watch the 7 to 11 minute experiences.

Taking thisshow on the road

The Phi Centre is also co-producing an event this weekend in Cambridge, Mass., calledVirtually There: Documentary Meets Virtual Reality.

"It's really important for us to have relationships with like-minded people in Montreal but also abroad in Europe and the US. So when MIT came to us with a conference on VR, we decided to co-create the event with them. To see the name of the Phi Centre next to MIT I must say makes me very proud.It's sold out!" saysAchard.

The centre is also taking a showcase of VR pieces created by StudioFlix& Paul to theQubecCratifPavilion at the Cannes Film Festival'sMarchdu Film happening later this monthand has an exhibition at Canada House in London.

The future of virtual reality

Achardsays she's not quite sure where the technology will take us but she says it's here to stay.

"It will take us somewhere for sure. We're going to Cannes next week. At Tribeca and Sundance they're all very interested in VR. I would be rich if I could tell you where it's going but somewhere new," saysAchard.