Last year, Aviary Studios promised to deliver an innovative transmedia experience. The Gallery live action game was set to blur the lines between videogame and movie. However, while the game has launched, the movie element remained elusive. That will all change with the upcoming London Games Festival, as The Gallery will be showcased in cinemas throughout the event.
The Gallery has been created with the direct intention of engaging both film fans and gamers. Promoting a blend of high production values and stellar cast, the title presents 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.
Written and directed by Paul Raschid, The Gallery is a combination of hostage thriller and social drama. With a dash of world film festival cinema aesthetic.
The Gallery Movie
The cinema version lasts around 140 minutes with a screening of both time periods. A 70 minute version, with a screening of one time period, will also be presented.
The cinema screening takes place with a Facilitator “playing” The Gallery on a laptop. 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 prevails and the film continues
The Gallery cast includes George Blagden (Versailles, Vikings), Anna Popplewell (Disney’s Narnia), Kara Tointon (Mr. Selfridge, Eastenders); Rebecca Root (The Queen’s Gambit); Richard Fleeshman (The Sandman, Coronation Street), Shannon Tarbet (Killing Eve, Love Sarah) and Fehinti Balogun (I May Destroy You).
The Gallery has secured 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, 2023. The Rennes screening was attended by 250+ high school students aged 16-18. The audience reportedly engaged enthusiastically, 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 live action game will screen in various cinemas during the London Games Festival from 29th March to 7th April. Details of venues, dates, screening times and how to buy tickets can be found here.
The Gallery Game
The Gallery is currently available on multiple formats. PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox consoles and Nintendo Switch have all received editions of the game. Further more, it is also available for mobile devices on the App Store and via Google Play.
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