Our Bodies, Our Rights
The Choice VR at X-NIGHT June
The June 2025 edition of X-NIGHT was a powerful gathering in AREA X, the virtual home of the IMMERSIVE X community. Hosted by founder of XR Wventist Selen Lun, award-winning filmmaker Dr. Joanne Popińska, and Tom C. Hall, the evening centered on „The Choice VR“, an interactive documentary about reproductive rights and human autonomy. This deeply emotional session revealed how Virtual Reality can foster empathy, challenge systems, and ignite social change.
When the Personal Becomes Political: The Choice VR
What happens when you need a medical procedure, but the law prevents you from getting it? That’s the central question behind The Choice VR, a groundbreaking project that puts users face-to-face with real people sharing their abortion stories – raw, honest, and unfiltered.
Filmmaker Joanne Popińska, who has a Ph.D. in sociology, explained that she was inspired to create the project by the growing restrictions on reproductive rights in her home country of Poland. Instead of creating a traditional documentary, Popińska envisioned an immersive, one-on-one experience – not to lecture, but to connect. VR was the only medium that could offer that level of intimacy.
Building Presence: The Technology Behind the Empathy
Together with her creative and life partner, Tom C. Hall, Popińska developed a unique hybrid technique combining stereoscopic imaging and volumetric capture to bring real people into virtual spaces with a photorealistic presence and emotional depth.
Using custom rigs and Unity, they created scenes in which the viewer sits directly across from the subject. Unlike 2D film, The Choice VR offers six degrees of freedom (6DoF), providing a sense of physical proximity – a crucial aspect of what Popińska refers to as „sociological presence“. The result is stunning; facial expressions, micro-gestures, and even eye contact feel authentic, making users feel as if they are having a real conversation, not watching a simulation.
Three Chapters, Three Lives: Abortion Stories That Stay With You
The Choice VR now features three powerful chapters, each offering a unique perspective on abortion and bodily autonomy. The first chapter tells the story of Kristen, whose wanted pregnancy ends in heartbreak when Texas laws prevent her from receiving urgent medical care. Set in the United States, this chapter illustrates how legal restrictions, even in medical emergencies, can have devastating consequences for women and their families.
The second chapter introduces Lee and Dan, a couple in their 40s who are facing an unplanned pregnancy and grappling with what may be their last chance to become parents. The third chapter follows Maila, who shares her experience having two abortions and confronts the social stigma often attached to making that choice more than once.
Though each story is unique, they all reflect a shared truth: the fundamental right to decide what happens to one’s own body. „I didn’t want to show only trauma,“ says creator Joanne Popińska. „I wanted to show complexity, process, and the reality behind headlines.“
With the newly released chapters two and three, The Choice VR has evolved into a deeper, more timely exploration of reproductive rights, inviting users to listen to, reflect on, and empathize with the real human experiences behind one of the most contested issues of our time.
Intimate Production, Global Impact: XR as Activism
The production process was as personal as the content. Without major funding at the start, Popińska and Hall worked alone, filming interviews in living rooms and rented spaces with portable gear. This minimalist setup made production possible and created the safe, intimate environment needed for participants to open up.
In fact, The Choice may be one of the most emotionally resonant examples of immersive activism to date, not because of its technology, but because of how it is used. In VR, participants are not just observers. They become quiet listeners, entrusted with real experiences.
From Festival to Headset: Where to Watch The Choice VR
Chapter 1 of The Choice VR is now available for free on the Meta Quest Store. Chapters 2 and 3 premiered at SXSW 2025 and will begin their European festival circuit this summer, starting with Sunny Side of the Doc. Watch Chapter 1 now.
Learn more about the project:
https://thechoice-vr.com
The Choice VR doesn’t ask for your opinion. Instead, it demands your attention and earns it with grace, honesty, and innovation. Whether you’re an XR creator, a social changemaker, or simply curious, this project is a must-experience. It’s not just important; it’s unforgettable.
