Project Description

Explore a male sauna through poetic lenses, to take a peek into something that’s hidden under the desire—the love without love.

In a dim-lighted room filled with mist, blurred figures of men are sipping the desire and loneliness from each other. You seem to have entered a forbidden zone and fallen into a state between dreaming and being awake, gazing at someone and also being gazed at by them. Theatre and new media director Chou Tung-Yen once again touches on the unspeakable life experiences of the gay community, exploring a male sauna through a poetic lens to take a peek at what’s hidden beneath desire—love without love.

In the Mist had its world premiere in the Venice International Film Festival, Immersive Competition 2021

Directors Statement:

I’ve always been fascinated with dreams in theatre, the obscurities between lights and shadows, and the mystery of human desire. Two years ago, an unexpected erotic scene in a steam room of a hot spring astonished me with a powerful visual yet visceral impact. I thought there was no better way to share this than a VR experience that blends all my fascinations into one. No filming angles to hide or cover what’s normally hidden. Bringing the audience to somewhere they might never have a chance to be and to look at it extremely close yet absolutely distant. I’m privileged and honored to be able to make this work with a very open and loving team, with governmental support in the land of freedom.

As an international consultant for Tung-Yen CHOU / Very Theatre my role is to promote, distribute, and present their work outside Taiwan, in part made possible by a grant by the Ministry of Culture Taiwan (2023 – 2025).  The project is part of Trilogy of Mist: In the Mist (VR360, 2021), Gazing, in the Mist (Theatre/VR, 2022), and Traversing the Mist (XR roaming multi-user experience, 2023). Directed by Chou Tung-Yen, produced by Very Theatre Taipei, international representation by SDPM Amsterdam.

Presentations:

(In the Mist had its world premiere in the Venice International Film Festival, Immersive Competition 2021)

2023: Felix Meritis Residency (The Netherlands)

2024: Mix Festival (Italy)

2024: ZED Festival (Italy)

2024: The Known/the Strange, Felix Meritis (The Netherlands)

2025: VR Screening series, BOZAR (Belgium)

2025: Architectures of Intimacy, EYE Film Museum (The Netherlands)

2025: YPAM / Art Center New (Japan)

2026: Adelaide Fringe Festival presented by Electric Dreams (Australia)

2026: Houston Taiwan Academy, Austin Texas (USA)