Oculus VR for Good Projects Named Official SXSW Selections, Plus a Preview of Must-See VR and AR Talks

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SXSW kicks off March 9 in Austin, Texas, and today we’re excited to share that three experiences from Oculus VR for Good’s Creators Lab have been named official VR selections of this year’s film festival!

The Evolution of Testicles
Ryan Hartsell + Male Cancer Awareness Campaign

Two parts humor, one part emotion, this madcap romp through human history starring Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids, Thor: The Dark World, Molly’s Game) intends to raise testicular cancer awareness through laughter and inspiration. From the dawn of time to the inaugural flight of Skyballs (a 100-foot tall hot air balloon in the shape of a scrotum), this experience showcases men’s fascination with their dangly bits while calling upon them to ditch the embarrassment of self-examination and start sharing their stories with others. With early diagnosis, testicular cancer is one of the most curable forms of the disease—get informed and spread the word. Man up and see your doctor.

One Eighty
Eren Aksu + Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative

In India, 67 percent of the jail population is made up of “undertrials”—people who haven’t been convicted of any crime, but who are imprisoned while awaiting trial. Unaware of their rights and often ignorant of the charges against them, many spend years behind bars. The situation disproportionately affects the poorest and least educated segments of society, and it’s even worse for mothers, who are deprived of any information about their children in the outside world. One Eighty is the story of one such mother, Vijai Kumari; her son, Kanhaiya Kumari; and his quest to save her from being punished from a crime she didn’t commit.

We're Still Here
Jesse Ayala + Pride Foundation

Aiden Crawford , a Two-Spirit artist and historian in Boise, Idaho, struggles to preserve and revive his heritage in a race against time. Two-Spirit is a cultural term describing the fluidity of gender identity and sexuality with respect to traditional tribal roles across the First Nations. Aiden’s story represents the intergenerational struggle to learn, educate, and pass down the wisdom of his elders. This moving film helps raise awareness of non-binary understandings of gender to advance the full equality of LGBTQ people everywhere.

Schedule Spotlight
This is our second consecutive year premiering VR for Good content at SXSW, and we’re honored to join the VR community and explore what’s new and next in immersive entertainment. To help this year’s SXSW attendees make the most of their experience, here’s our shortlist of panels and talks featuring Oculus employees and some of our developer partners:

March 13

March 14

March 15

The New Reality
In less than three years since the launch of consumer VR, we’ve seen the potential of this technology to revolutionize diverse fields ranging from education and healthcare to the art of storytelling, enterprise, and beyond. And as an event that celebrates the convergence of creative and professional industries, SXSW is the perfect place to showcase how far VR has come—and the exciting new ground left to explore.

We’ll have more to share in the weeks ahead, so stay tuned for the latest on VR for Good Creators Lab, SXSW, and more.

— The Oculus Team

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