Award-winning VR film ‘Starry Sand Beach’ to be screened at ArtScience Museum from Apr 22

An award-winning virtual reality (VR) film titled Starry Sand Beach will be screened at the ArtScience Museum’s VR gallery from Apr 22.

Directed by acclaimed artist Hsin Chien-Huang and documentary director Nina Barbier, Starry Sand Beach won the Best Virtual Reality award at Tokyo International Short Film Festival 2022 and premiered in-competition at the Venice Film Festival 2021.

Starry Sand Beach tells the scientific fairy tale of tiny star-shaped grains of sand found across the East China seas. 

This sand is called Baculogypsina Sphaerulata, a species of Foraminifera.

The story revolves around one of Japan’s myths, beginning with the marriage of the Southern Cross Star and the Polar Star and the fate of their children, in which thousands of tiny stars fell from the sky and into the Okinawa Sea.  

The VR experience is divided into three parts: the legend, the underwater forest and the exploration of the Earth’s ancient geological memory, back to the birth of the Foraminifera 400 million years ago. 

Throughout the experience, audiences will get to witness the growing threats of climate change and the impact it has on marine and coral microorganisms.

Tickets for this VR experience are priced at $16 for adults and $12 for concession. A valid identity card will need to be presented during admission.

Visitors should note that the film is not recommended for individuals with claustrophobia, a history of seizures, epilepsy, and/or sensitivity to flashing lights.