Walking for Freedom: A Venezuelan Story is an immersive 360 VR documentary created with the idea that some journeys must be experienced to be understood. The project was written and directed by MFA student Carlos Macher and filmed by MFA student Amelia Tyson, and an entirely student-led crew across many disciplines and schools. This provided students with the opportuntiy to travel to the Venezuela-Colombia border to carry out thier project.

The Virtual Reality format puts you in the the shoes of a Venezuelan refugee, forced to flee their country on foot. You follow their journey across the Simón Bolívar International Bridge, which links Venezuela and Colombia, past the illegal passing known as “la trocha,” and to their final destinations, wherever that may be.

With major impact, this VR experience is being used by The Inter-American Development Bank to increase awareness of the tragic situation on the Colombia-Venezuela border. The hope is that changemakers can make more informed decisions knowing the lived experience of refugees.

The film screened for select audiences on June 29, 2019 at the One Journey Festival in Washington, DC.