Created by Gabo Arora, John Fitzgerald, and Matthew Niederhauser
Understanding Sufism, by its very nature, is experiential. ZIKR: A SUFI REVIVAL takes four participants on an interactive virtual reality journey into a world of ecstatic ritual, dance and music, in order to explore the nature of faith alongside followers of this mystical Islamic tradition. Through the physical experience of the Sufi tradition and interviews with its practitioners, this virtual reality experience aims to bring to light the nuances of this religion, revealing a practice of inclusion, acceptance, art, joy, and understanding.
“The most transcendental experience this year…”
— Newsweek, Allen Salkin
“ZIKR is vital, not because it’s fun—though it is—but because it’s mind-expanding.”
— VICE, Beckett Mufson
“ZIKR certainly pushes things forward, fusing a thousand year old religious ritual with experimental technology.”
— Rolling Stone, Alice Lloyd George
“ZIKR was deeply moving, extraordinarily vulnerable, and something I’ll not soon forget.”
— Reel Spirituality, Andrew Neel
RITUALS: Association de la Renaissance du Maalouf et du Chant Soufi de Sidi Bou Saïd, Mouhamed Farouk Chlagou, Jamel Mlayah, Mohammed Bribeche, Ahmed Ktari, Monia Ben Hamed, Waad Ben Hamed, Gadour Jouini, Wajdi Maamri and Mohammed Bribeche.
CREATED by Gabo Arora, John Fitzgerald, and Matthew Niederhauser
DIRECTED by Gabo Arora
PRODUCED by Jennifer Tiexiera
CREATIVE & TECHNICAL DIRECTORS: John Fitzgerald, Igal Nassima, and Matthew Niederhauser
PRODUCERS: Gabo Arora, Selim Bensedrine, John Fitzgerald, Matthew Niederhauser, Jennifer Tiexiera, and Meghan Nelson Welles
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Mohab Tarek Khattab, Eva L. Burns, Cameron Brodie, Reza Aslan, and Mayhad Tousi
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Rama Allen
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Pablo Mahave Fernández and Abel Kavangh
LEAD ENGINEERS: Igal Nassima and Nate Turley
LEAD GRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT: Nate Turley
ENGINEERS: Mark Fingerhut and Elie Zananiri
EDITED by Jennifer Tiexiera
LEAD 3D ARTIST: Capitan Alegria
ART DIRECTOR: Will Adams
3D ARTIST: Damian Kwiatkowski
TECHNICAL ARTIST: Jimmy Gass
SOUND DESIGN by Antfood
PRODUCTION by Sensorium, Superbright, and Tomorrow Never Knows
IN PARTNERSHIP with 1001 MEDIA Limited and BoomGen Studios
VOLUMETRIC CAPTURE Powered by DepthKit
SPECIAL THANKS to Shari Frilot, Hussain Currimbhoy, Michael Macy, Fayçal Gouia, Chris Healer & Kinda Akash.