The Choice – Audience Award Winner at SXSW 2022 – Returns with Two New Episodes at SXSW 2025!
Experience the next chapters of this groundbreaking VR series exploring reproductive rights with empathy and intimacy.
The Choice, the groundbreaking VR documentary exploring reproductive rights, premiered with its first chapter at IDFA 2021 and has since captivated audiences worldwide. The project has enjoyed a successful festival run, winning the Audience Award at SXSW 2022 and Best XR Experience for Impact at Games for Change 2022, among numerous other accolades. Over the past two years, The Choice has been celebrated at over 20 international festivals, including BFI London Film Festival, SIGGRAPH, and Human Rights Film Festival Berlin, while also being used as an impactful educational tool on campuses and in workshops.
Through its minimalist animation and life-like volumetric video, The Choice creates intimate, conversation-like interactions that challenge stigma and foster empathy. The series invites viewers to engage deeply with personal stories, offering a profound understanding of the complexities surrounding reproductive rights and the importance of personal agency.
New Episodes Premiering at SXSW 2025
In 2025, The SXSW Audience Award winner from 2022 returns with two new episodes that broaden and deepen the conversation about reproductive rights. The Choice continues to explore the complex realities behind abortion decisions, presenting stories that challenge stigma and invite empathy.
Continuing the minimalist animation and gentle, conversation-like interactions from the first episode, The Choice uses immersive VR combined with life-like stereoscopic-volumetric video to draw the audience into intimate, immersive conversations that build profound empathy.
We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.
Chapter 2: Makayla
A young woman from San Antonio shares her journey through two abortions—one in a clinical setting and the other self-managed. Her story provides critical insights about misoprostol, commonly known as the abortion pill, addressing fears and uncertainties surrounding the process. Makayla’s experience is a powerful testament to resilience and personal agency, offering a deeply human perspective on the realities of reproductive healthcare.
In a post-Dobbs America, where access to safe and legal abortion is increasingly restricted, Makayla’s story has become more timely and urgent than ever. Her account of self-managed abortion sheds light on the growing reliance on misoprostol and the challenges faced by individuals navigating a fractured healthcare system. This episode not only highlights the importance of access to accurate information and resources but also underscores the broader implications of restrictive policies on personal freedom and safety.
Chapter 3: Leigh and Dan
A married couple reflects on an unplanned pregnancy, offering a rare and vital perspective on shared decision-making. Leigh and Dan, who never planned to have children, navigate the emotional complexities of their situation with honesty and vulnerability. As a mature couple, their story brings a unique perspective to the conversation about reproductive choices, highlighting the nuances of their journey and the profound impact of their decision.
This episode delves into the emotional dynamics of choice, emphasizing the role of male partners in reproductive decisions and challenging traditional narratives around abortion. Dan’s supportive yet deeply personal process is explored alongside Leigh’s experience, showcasing how couples can navigate these decisions together. Their story is a powerful reminder of the importance of mutual understanding, communication, and partnership in the face of life-altering choices.
JOIN US AT SXSW 2025
FOR THE PREMIERE OF THESE POWERFUL NEW EPISODES
SXSW 2025 SCHEDULE
March 9-11 2025
Chapter 1: Kristen's Story
A Journey of Strength and Resilience
The Choice was always envisioned as a series, but premiered as a stand-alone episode.
The young Native American woman sitting opposite you in the first episode is Kristen from Texas. As you talk to her about her experience, the initially empty space around you gradually fills with animated line drawings that reinforce the story which is already so poignant.
She talks about her and her husband’s longing for a child, their joy when she became pregnant, and the immense sadness when after 20 weeks it turned out that their unborn child had serious physical abnormalities. She also talks about the almost inhumanely obstructive attitudes she faced in the Texas health care system when making what was already such a difficult decision.
The title thus has a double meaning—it is about the actual choice that women make, as well as the freedom of choice that they are denied in far too many parts of the world.
WATCH TRAILER
The first episode of The Choice was widely praised for its innovative design, groundbreaking approach to storytelling, and profound impact. Over the course of more than two years, it travelled to over 20 international festivals, including IDFA, SXSW, BFI London Film Festival, and Games for Change, where it resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike.
The project garnered numerous accolades, including:
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SXSW 2022, Audience Award Winner;
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Games for Change Festival, 2022, Best XR for Impact Winner.
It was also recognized with multiple nominations, such as:
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Canadian Screen Awards, 2023, Best Immersive Experience: Non-Fiction Finalist;
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Auggie Awards by AWEXR, 2022, Best Art or Film Finalist;
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VR Awards by AIXR and VR Days, 2022, Best VR Film of the Year Finalist;
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XR Must Awards, 2022, Best Storytelling Finalist;
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XR Must Awards, 2022, Best Impact Finalist;
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Canadian Screen Music Awards, 2022, Best Original Score for Interactive Media Finalist.
These recognitions solidify The Choice as a transformative work in the realm of immersive storytelling, celebrated for its artistry, emotional depth, and social impact.
