Ever wanted to explore outer space? Maybe, dive with endangered whales, or surf with dolphins? Now you can—EarthX wants to take you on a wild, immersive journey to explore the most remote areas of the world. 

Not literally, though.

EarthxInteractive, which calls itself the world’s largest eco-interactive program, is taking visitors on adventurous explorations throughout nature, but all in virtual and augmented reality. From April 26-28, EarthxInteractive is going to present over 40 interactive mixed reality projects and educational workshops in a designated lounge during EarthX’s ninth annual Earth Day celebration at Fair Park.

[Photo: via EarthxInteractive]

A sub-division of the sustainability-focused film festival, EarthxFilm, EarthxInteractive intends to push the boundaries of storytelling. The content ranges from narrative to documentary to hybrid projects, all leveraging immersive technology to raise awareness for global environmental issues.

“Interactive experiences such as virtual reality and augmented reality harness the transformative power to truly permeate the minds of viewers through an unprecedented level of intimacy and immediacy with the content,” said EarthxFilm President Michael Cain. “Viewers are able to educate themselves in a way that truly allows them to put themselves in these environments and oftentimes sparks the drive to affect change.”

[Photo: via EarthxInteractive]

The innovative experiences in this year’s program include work from prominent content creators like Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow, VICE, National Geographic, and Google Spotlight Stories. This year’s lineup aligns with the festival’s marine-focused theme, and features six world premieres to go along with the wide scope of exhibits.

“We want people to fall in love with nature and not just watch conservation efforts for dolphins, turtles and coral reefs, but feel like they are fully immersed and part of the efforts,” said EarthxFilm’s Director of Interactive Programming + Partnerships Tiffany Kieran. “We have seen how these experiences drive real-life action.”

Lineup of content

Plan your weekend with the complete lineup of EarthxInteractive events found online. Highlights include:

“Guardians of the Kingdom”

Travel to the waters of Tonga, a Polynesian kingdom of South Pacific islands, in the world premiere of this UnderWater Earth film. By using 360-degree video, every direction can be seen of this community’s transformation from hunting to reconnecting with whales.

“Ghost Fleet VR”

Based on the documentary Ghost Fleet, this experience immerses viewers in the truth behind slavery in the Thai fishing industry through Tun Lin, who was kidnapped at 14 years old. The experience was created by Catovia, Seahorse Productions, and Vulcan Productions Film.

“Free Solo 360”

No rope? No problem. Climb the 3,200-foot face of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan alongside Alex Honnold in this Oscar-winning documentary. The short film was made in partnership with award-winning filmmakers E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin.

“The Wild Immersion”

This series takes viewers on 3D experiences with Jane Goodall through Nature 360° action films. Each installment intends to make the audience feel like they’re somewhere in real life, whether that be the middle of the wilderness, underwater, or in the tundra.

“Sharkwater VR”

Dubbed a revolutionary VR experience, Sharkwater VR gives viewers a deeper understanding of sharks and just how important they are. Directed by Rob Stewart, the installment was created through the feature documentary, “Sharkwater Extinction.”

“Wonders of the Sea”

Directed by Jean-Michel Cousteau, Wonders of the Sea 3D is an immersive experience, within a film, that makes audiences feel as if they’re diving. Traveling from Fiji to the Bahamas, “Wonders of the Sea” also informs viewers of the dangers putting oceans at risk everyday.

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