Be Boy Be Girl at Future of Storytelling Festival

Fri, Oct 7 - Sun, Oct 9  2016

Virtual and augmented reality is constantly changing the way in which humans communicate. The Future of Storytelling Festival (FOst Fest) explores and shows these innovations, and invites their audience to actively participate. Dutch filmmakers and visual artists Marleine van der Werf and Frederik Duerinck are part of this festival with their Multi-sensory installation Be Boy Be Girl. You can see the installation October 7-9 in New York.

About the Installation

The multi-sensory installation Be boy be girl engages sight, hearing, touch and smell. Here, our bodies become more than just our eyes and ears; they become the vehicles with which we challenge reality. Be boy be girl is an immersive installation. With an extended body, the moment of disbelief that results from the experience is delayed for as long as possible. 

With a keen feel for current events, Be boy Be girl creates an experience at the crossroads of spectacle and introspection, innovation and depth. It also gives a glimpse of what the future holds in terms of sensual, technical and cinematic design. Where Artist Julio le Parc created optical mirror effects using simple glasses made of plexiglass, this 3D-scent headset combines art, science, technology and sensory experiences. 

About Marleine van der Werf 

Marleine van der Werf is a filmmaker and visual artist based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Van der Werf completed her studies in film at the St. Joost Art Academy in 2010. Her graduation work ‘illimited’, premiered at International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam and the surrealistic film ‘The Perceptionist’ was nominated for the ‘Rene Coelho Prize’ and is represented in the distribution collection of Film institute Eye. In her work she explores ideas about imagination, the subconsciousness and resilience. Van der Werf creates strong cinematic worlds and experiences in which our perception is challenged.

In 2015 she was the recipient of the Stipendium Program for Emerging Artists by Mondriaan fund. She has been working on several film and film-installations. Currently she is finishing her film ‘The free market’, which will premiere the Dutch filmfestival in september. 

About Frederik Duerinck

Frederik Duerinck is a filmmaker and artist located in Breda, the Netherlands. He is the lead designer of the award-winning multisensory installation Famous Deaths and is co-author of the bookSense of Smell. Duerinck is a member of the cross-media group Polymorf. In his work, he researches the boundaries of conventional storytelling, creating embodied narratives. 

About FoST

The Future of StoryTelling (FoST) is a passionate community of people from the worlds of media, technology, and communications who are exploring how storytelling is evolving in the digital age.
At the heart of FoST are two signature events. The two-day, invitation-only FoST Summit gathers top thinkers and practitioners from diverse fields to share ideas and experiences shaping the storytelling landscape. FoST FEST, open to the public, features VR and AR experiences, tech demos, a multiperson VR theater, panel conversations, live performances, interactive games, and much more.

In addition to the Summit and FEST, FoST also produces a wide range of content and programming, such as curated exhibitions; an annual series of short films; regular influencer salons, tech tastings, and storytelling workshops; and a popular blog and other social media content aimed at FoST’s network of over half a million enthusiastic followers.