{"id":4291,"date":"2026-06-08T10:32:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T09:32:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/?p=4291"},"modified":"2026-06-08T15:52:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T14:52:37","slug":"pgrs-vr-project-presented-at-beijing-international-film-festivals-boundless-immersive-unit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/2026\/06\/08\/pgrs-vr-project-presented-at-beijing-international-film-festivals-boundless-immersive-unit\/","title":{"rendered":"PGRs\u2019 VR Project Presented at Beijing International Film Festival\u2019s Boundless Immersive Unit"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><\/div>\n<div>A virtual reality (VR) project developed by WSA postgraduate researchers (PGRs) has been shortlisted at the Beijing International Film Festival, one of Asia\u2019s leading platforms for immersive media.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div>\u201cEchoes After the Last Breath: A Gamified Gaze-Driven VR Near-Death Experience\u201d by Yimeng Li, Weigan Zhang, and Xinyu Zhang was selected for exhibition at the 16th Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) \u201cBoundless \u221e Immersive Unit.\u201d In April 2026, Weigan and Yimeng attended the festival in Beijing, where the project was exhibited and presented to audiences alongside a wide range of international immersive works.<\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4298\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4298\" style=\"width: 2364px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_202604221644374562785.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4298\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_202604221644374562785.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2364\" height=\"1330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_202604221644374562785.jpeg 2364w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_202604221644374562785-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_202604221644374562785-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_202604221644374562785-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_202604221644374562785-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_202604221644374562785-2048x1152.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_202604221644374562785-1200x675.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4298\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yimeng Li and Weigan Zhang attending the 16th Beijing International Film Festival in Beijing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-4291 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-large'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/2026\/06\/08\/pgrs-vr-project-presented-at-beijing-international-film-festivals-boundless-immersive-unit\/echoes_20260422173439_7_371\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"840\" height=\"840\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Echoes_20260422173439_7_371-1024x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4292\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Echoes_20260422173439_7_371-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Echoes_20260422173439_7_371-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Echoes_20260422173439_7_371-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Echoes_20260422173439_7_371-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Echoes_20260422173439_7_371-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Echoes_20260422173439_7_371-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Echoes_20260422173439_7_371-1200x1200.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4292'>\n\t\t\t\tEchoes After the Last Breath at the BJIFF Boundless \u221e Immersive Unit.\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/2026\/06\/08\/pgrs-vr-project-presented-at-beijing-international-film-festivals-boundless-immersive-unit\/exhibition35_20260422174627_55_371\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition35_20260422174627_55_371-1024x576.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4294\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition35_20260422174627_55_371-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition35_20260422174627_55_371-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition35_20260422174627_55_371-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition35_20260422174627_55_371-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition35_20260422174627_55_371-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition35_20260422174627_55_371-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4294'>\n\t\t\t\tExhibition views from the BJIFF Boundless \u221e Immersive Unit\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/2026\/06\/08\/pgrs-vr-project-presented-at-beijing-international-film-festivals-boundless-immersive-unit\/exhibition13_20260422174217_33_371\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition13_20260422174217_33_371-1024x576.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4293\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition13_20260422174217_33_371-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition13_20260422174217_33_371-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition13_20260422174217_33_371-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition13_20260422174217_33_371-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition13_20260422174217_33_371-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition13_20260422174217_33_371-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4293'>\n\t\t\t\tExhibition views from the BJIFF Boundless \u221e Immersive Unit\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/2026\/06\/08\/pgrs-vr-project-presented-at-beijing-international-film-festivals-boundless-immersive-unit\/visit_20260422173453_14_371\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_20260422173453_14_371-1024x576.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-4296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_20260422173453_14_371-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_20260422173453_14_371-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_20260422173453_14_371-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_20260422173453_14_371-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_20260422173453_14_371-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Visit_20260422173453_14_371-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-4296'>\n\t\t\t\tExhibition views from the BJIFF Boundless \u221e Immersive Unit\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"elementToProof\">\u201cEchoes After the Last Breath: A Gamified Gaze-Driven VR Near-Death Experience\u201d is an immersive interactive experience that explores memory and emotional resonance through spatial storytelling and sensory interaction. Presented within the context of emerging immersive cinema and interactive media, the work invited audiences to engage with the experience in a personal and reflective way.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"elementToProof\">The \u201cBoundless \u221e Immersive Unit\u201d is one of BJIFF\u2019s major immersive sections, focusing on VR, AR, MR, installation art, and spatial media experiences from around the world. Under this year\u2019s curatorial theme, \u201cEntering Cinema Through Play\u201d, the exhibition explored how audiences can experience storytelling beyond the traditional screen through interaction, embodiment, and participation.<\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4295\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4295\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition41_20260422174646_61_371-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-4295\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition41_20260422174646_61_371-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition41_20260422174646_61_371-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition41_20260422174646_61_371-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition41_20260422174646_61_371-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition41_20260422174646_61_371-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition41_20260422174646_61_371-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition41_20260422174646_61_371-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/files\/2026\/06\/Exhibition41_20260422174646_61_371-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 1362px) 62vw, 840px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4295\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Exhibition views from the BJIFF Boundless \u221e Immersive Unit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"elementToProof\">Weigan and Yimeng said: \u2018During the exhibition, we had the opportunity to connect with many other immersive media creators and projects, exchanging ideas about storytelling, technology, and audience experience. We were also very happy to see so many visitors engage with our project. The audience shared a great deal of thoughtful feedback, encouraging responses, and useful suggestions for future improvements, which were incredibly valuable for us as creators and researchers. This experience was a wonderful opportunity for our team, and we are especially proud that the work of PhD students from the University of Southampton could be presented to a wider international audience through the Beijing International Film Festival.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A virtual reality (VR) project developed by WSA postgraduate researchers (PGRs) has been shortlisted at the Beijing International Film Festival, one of Asia\u2019s leading platforms for immersive media. &nbsp; \u201cEchoes After the Last Breath: A Gamified Gaze-Driven VR Near-Death Experience\u201d by Yimeng Li, Weigan Zhang, and Xinyu Zhang was selected for exhibition at the 16th &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/2026\/06\/08\/pgrs-vr-project-presented-at-beijing-international-film-festivals-boundless-immersive-unit\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;PGRs\u2019 VR Project Presented at Beijing International Film Festival\u2019s Boundless Immersive Unit&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":99824,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[702608],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-phd-seminar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/99824"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4291"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4291\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4318,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4291\/revisions\/4318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.soton.ac.uk\/wsapgr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}