EXCLUSIVE: AI studio Asteria in collaboration with Documentary+ has acquired documentary short The Reality of Hope ahead of its world premiere Saturday at the Sundance Film Festival.
Joe Hunting directed the film, which focuses on VR artist and game developer Hiyu as he faces kidney failure. “His online friend Photographotter travels from New York City to Stockholm,” notes a synopsis, “to be a live donor to Hiyu, revealing a lifesaving friendship.”
Asteria, which describes itself as an “artist-led generative AI film and animation studio powered by the first clean and ethical AI model,” plans to release The Reality of Hope later this year across streaming platforms, including Asteria’s own Documentary+ — “the #1 streaming platform and channel for the best in nonfiction film and television” – as well as Doc+ FAST channels.
Director Joe Hunting
Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
“I’m thrilled to partner with Asteria and Documentary+ on The Reality of Hope,” Hunting said. “It’s an honor to be back at Sundance with my latest film alongside partners equally committed to social virtual reality, XR filmmaking, pushing boundaries, and uplifting community.”
Hiyu and Photographotter are both members of the furry community, a subculture of people bonded by a common interest in embodying animal characters with human characteristics.
“The Reality of Hope expands perspectives on how social Virtual Reality (VR) can forge meaningful connections,” states a release, “creating opportunities for life changing friendships and community support. Hiyu & Photographotter’s story is surrounded by the VR furry fandom, portrayed through their vibrant community formed around the world’s largest online furry convention ‘Furality’. This film presents an informative and intimate representation of this often misunderstood subculture. The film portrays its unique story through a varied documentary form that considers the cinematic truth between VR and reality, using both animation and documentary style shooting.”
Asteria/Documentary+
Justin Lacob, president of Documentary+, said in a statement, “Joe Hunting’s ingenuity as a storyteller shines through in The Reality of Hope, a deeply emotional exploration of resilience and connection through social Virtual Reality. Having previously partnered with Joe on his groundbreaking HBO film, We Met in Virtual Reality, it is exciting to continue to highlight Joe’s unique ability to capture the human spirit in its most profound and unexpected forms.”
The Reality of Hope is directed, produced, and shot by Hunting under his Painted Cloud banner. It is co-produced by Max Willson (who worked as an assistant camera operator alongside Hunting during production). Asteria CEO Bryn Mooser and Documentary+ president Justin Lacob join as executive producers.
Hunting is represented by Cinetic Media and Sloss Eckhouse Dasti Haynes who negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.