Directed by Gloria Mercer

Logline: In the near future, a teenage girl attends a virtual reality school.

Synopsis: In the near future, cities are crowded, nature is sparse, and children attend school in hyper-realistic virtual reality. Marion, a teenage girl escaping a stifling home life, falls in love with another student, but can't be sure if her feelings are real or if this is another part of the simulation.

Distribution Contact: WFG

More Details

RUNTIME: 16 Minutes
GENRE: Narrative, Fiction
PRODUCTION FORMAT: HD
LANGUAGE: English
LOCATION: British Columbia
TECHNIQUES: Visual Effects
KEYWORDS: Women, Future, Vancouver, Lgbt, Vr, Queer, LGBTQ Filmmaker, Female Filmmaker

Director's Statement: I grew up in a generation that witnessed massive advances to the technologies of communication. As a kid, I forged friendships with people over the computer; a phenomenon that was totally new to my parents, and one which they struggled to understand.

Hekademia is a manifestation of that experience; the story of a girl who can't connect with those around her, only to escape into the preserved wilderness of a virtual reality. The simulation allows Marion to connect with not only a new environment, but a new friend as well; Cassidy. For Marion, this is the most authentic human connection she has available to her.

My goal with filmmaking is always to represent women in a way that pushes beyond archetype; creating flawed and nuanced characters. It excites me to be able to use science fiction to dig deeper into female characters, and explore the intersection of adolescence, technology, and grief.