Belongings : Distil Immersive
"One standout installation this year is 'Belongings' featuring life size videos of refugees talking about their difficult journeys and a meaningful object they brought with them"
- Bill Shapiro, SXSW Advisory Board
Watt Space Gallery
27 Sept - 6 Oct
What if you had to leave your home for good? What is the one thing you couldn't live without? Belongings presents the stories and journeys of six refugees living in Australia, each told through the personal lens of a valued possession.
Belongings is an immersive installation that shares stories stories of six refugees who took asylum in
Newcastle. Through the lens of their most cherished belongings, this installation invites audiences to
step into the shoes of those who have faced unimaginable challenges. A multi-user experience, it
combines documentary storytelling with smartphone technology to create an intimate encounter.
Each story is a testament to the human spirit. For one, Arabic poetry keeps his homeland alive in his
heart; for another, it is her father's hat that carries the scent of home. These objects are more than
just items—they are vessels of memory, identity, and resilience. As you navigate this experience,
you’ll uncover the deep connections between these belongings and the lives they represent,
challenging the boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them.’
Belongings presents the stories and journeys of six refugees living in Newcastle, each told through the personal lens of a valued possession.
DURATION
30 minutes
ACCESSIBILITY
Wheelchair access
ARTISTS & COLLABORATORS
Produced and directed by Distil Immersive
Director: John-Paul Marin
Creative and Technical Director: Matt Smith
Director of Photography: Nik Lachajczak
Audio Engineer: Byren Sawell
Photographer: Michelle Kaldy
Production Assistant: Isidora Torrealba
Hair and Makeup: Kristelle Carl
Filmed at Sawtooth Studios, Newcastle
Newcastle. Through the lens of their most cherished belongings, this installation invites audiences to
step into the shoes of those who have faced unimaginable challenges. A multi-user experience, it
combines documentary storytelling with smartphone technology to create an intimate encounter.
Each story is a testament to the human spirit. For one, Arabic poetry keeps his homeland alive in his
heart; for another, it is her father's hat that carries the scent of home. These objects are more than
just items—they are vessels of memory, identity, and resilience. As you navigate this experience,
you’ll uncover the deep connections between these belongings and the lives they represent,
challenging the boundaries between ‘us’ and ‘them.’
Belongings presents the stories and journeys of six refugees living in Newcastle, each told through the personal lens of a valued possession.
DURATION
30 minutes
ACCESSIBILITY
Wheelchair access
ARTISTS & COLLABORATORS
Produced and directed by Distil Immersive
Director: John-Paul Marin
Creative and Technical Director: Matt Smith
Director of Photography: Nik Lachajczak
Audio Engineer: Byren Sawell
Photographer: Michelle Kaldy
Production Assistant: Isidora Torrealba
Hair and Makeup: Kristelle Carl
Filmed at Sawtooth Studios, Newcastle
