In a classical case of Video Games meets Film, The Gallery will air in select cinemas during the London Games Fest as a side event from March 29th to April 7th. Written and directed by Paul Raschid, The Gallery is part hostage thriller and part social drama, crafted with an indie film production aesthetic.
The game takes place over two decades, between 1981 and 2021 and features a story about two characters stuck between two identities. A film crafted to appease both indie fans and indie gamers, this movie-meets-video-game story addresses some sociopolitical themes set about in the UK during the dawn of the 80s and early 2020s.
With a runtime of 140 minutes split between both segments equally, the film is an interactive experience where a Facilitator plays The Gallery on a computer. When then the audience enters, they are given “Glowsticks” which they can use to vote for their choices. The Facilitator then 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.
Details of venues, dates, screening times, and how to buy tickets can be found right here.
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 movie premiered as part of the “Cinema – Past, Present and Future” section at Dinard 2022. It also was featured on 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. It also was 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 (game) is currently available on Steam, PS4/5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and on the App. Store and Play Store.
