After making a splash at Sundance’s New Frontiers Program earlier this year, 1stAveMachine directors Nico Casavecchia and Martin Allais continue to garner major film festival attention with their VR experience, BattleScar, which has now earned a coveted spot in Tribeca Film Festival’s 2018 Immersive program.
Starring acclaimed actress Rosario Dawson, BattleScar serves an animated VR ode to 1970’s downtown New York City and the bustling punk rock scene within it. Inspired by books including Just Kids by punk icon Patti Smith, BattleScar features Dawson as Puerto-American teenager Lupe, who in this bursting, legendary era, discovers her inner strength and love for the music scene within the Lower East Side and the secret worlds of Alphabet City. “New York City has gone through extremely inspiring times, but the ‘70s might be the most creative of them all,” Casavecchia explains, “from the decay of the city to the most amazing and inspiring artists that created art and music. We are trying to grasp the feeling of living through the punk rock heyday of 1978.”
Constructed as an immersive VR experience, BattleScar stokes nostalgia while intriguing new generations with a coming-of-age tale that explores identity and promotes empowerment. According to Casavecchia, Dawson was the ideal choice to embody the protagonist Lupe, carry the narrative and bring the story to life. “We knew that finding an amazing artist to play Lupe was the key to capturing the imagination of people experiencing the narrative. When we heard that Rosario liked our project, we were absolutely thrilled. Knowing that an actress of her stature is the voice of BattleScar is truly a blessing and the most amazing gift for everyone involved in the project.”
According to 1stAveMachine Executive Producer Andrew Geller, Tribeca Immersive presents a significant, valuable platform in which to showcase both the talents of two of the award-winning company’s directors as well as its ingenuity in the field of VR filmmaking. “Tribeca has become a leader in curating and showcasing innovative storytelling in mediums like VR, and we’re thrilled to be among the pieces selected this year. We’ve had our eyes set on Tribeca for a while.”
BattleScar will be screened as part of the Virtual Arcade program at 2018 Tribeca Immersive, which is open daily from April 20-28 and takes place in the Tribeca Festival Hub located at Spring Studios on 50 Varick Street. Go here to buy tickets and here for full Immersive lineup and info.
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About 1stAve Machine:
1stAveMachine is a mixed media production company and storytelling outfit. They create video, digital, and experimental content for TV, print, web, and mobile, all with a unified singular vision. They have won numerous awards since their formation, including Gold, Silver, and Bronze Cannes Lions, AICP, One Show, and ANDY awards, and many others. Their work has been featured across the globe and during the Super Bowl, and their division 1stAve Content has been instrumental in pairing the perfect influencers and creators with agencies and brands.