Tilda Swinton to Narrate Mixed Reality ADHD Documentary ‘Impulse’ in Venice Immersive Lineup

The VR experience will debut during the 2024 Venice Immersive program.

Tilda Swinton is returning to the Venice Immersive program for the next installment of festival award-winning “Playing With Reality” VR documentaries.

The Academy Award winner will narrate “Impulse,” part of producer Anagram’s “Playing With Reality” collection. Swinton previously narrated 2021’s “Playing With Reality” VR film “Goliath,” which explored one man’s experience of psychosis. The VR experience went on to win the Grand Jury Prize for Best VR Immersive Work and was later nominated for the News & Documentary Emmy Award in the Outstanding Interactive Media Innovation category.

“Impulse: Playing with Reality” is an interactive mixed reality documentary co-directed by May Abdalla and Barry Gene Murphy. The project explores ADHD through the stories of four people coming to terms with the decisions that have chartered their lives.

“We are so excited to welcome Tilda Swinton back to our ‘Playing with Reality’ collection for ‘Impulse,'” May Abdalla co-director said. “Tilda brings such an acting presence to the experiences, gracefully guiding audiences through each individual narrative. Whether or not you’ve experienced stories similar to those told in ‘Impulse’ firsthand, Tilda leaves you with a kernel of understanding.”

Co-director Barry Gene Murphy added, “Tilda is not only a titan, but a warm presence. It’s imperative to be presented with something familiar in a work like this. Swinton’s voice and energy is one that delicately frames such personal stories, and we are delighted to have her back on board.”

“Impulse: Playing with Reality” is co-produced by Floréal and France Télévisions. The VR documentary will debut during the 2024 Venice Immersive program.

The official synopsis reads: “What makes ideas real? Exploring the extreme side of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), ‘Impulse’ brings together sharp-witted gameplay and dramatic firsthand accounts of people whose intense emotions lead them to life at the edge. Leanne turns her world into a game to escape boredom. Omar’s chaotic mind focuses on masterminding risky heists. Errol creates a madcap persona to get respect. And Tara is on the brink of giving up. Their stories are brought home through mixed reality. Highlighting the inner life of ADHD, and the often-dismissed experience of the quiet girls, ‘Impulse’ focuses on the thrill of acting without thinking and the power of uncovering your own patterns.”

The “Playing with Reality” collection uses a documentary storytelling approach to combine rigorous research with compelling narratives around mental health conditions, paired with VR elements. “Impulse: Playing with Reality” specifically works with neuroscientists and psychologists to include 100+ hours of interviews on the severe end of the ADHD spectrum in order to translate these experiences into a resonant story.

“Impulse” was supported by Meta VR for Good, France Télévisions, CNC, Agog, City of Paris, and Unity Charitable Fund, a fund of the Tides Foundation. “Impulse” was presented at the 2023 Venice Gap-Financing Market and Tribeca Creators Market.

Swinton will also be in attendance at the 2024 Venice Film Festival for the world premiere of Pedro Almodóvar’s first English-language feature, “The Room Next Door.” Swinton co-stars with Julianne Moore in the feature.