OVERVIEW
Spanning over 45-years, Stay Alive My Son (SAMS) is a groundbreaking virtual reality odyssey where you are transported into the life of Yathay Pin, a survivor of the Cambodian genocide to witness the world through his eyes, where every decision you make unfolds his poignant story of family separation, survival, and resilience. This narrative is based on the true events described in Yathay Pin's compelling novel Tu Vivras Mon Fils (Stay Alive My Son), making every moment of the game an authentic dive into history.
Made by a small team with purpose, SAMS is more than an experience through the life of one man; it's a bridge to the past, an exploration of the depths of human endurance, and a testament to the indomitable spirit of love and the essence of what it means to persevere, to forgive, and to heal.
Honored with the Producers' Guild Innovation Award and five Telly Awards for breaking new ground in storytelling, SAMS revolutionized cinema history by creating a new genre in filmmaking called “Cineplay.” This genre merges cinematic storytelling with interactivity, allowing you to live the life of a real person with a deeply human and emotive narrative. By pioneering a hyper-realistic digital representation of Yathay and integrating volumetric capture of real actors, SAMS brings Yathay and his family to life inside the game engine, enabling you to relive key moments leading to his family's separation and his quest for atonement.
THE EXPERIENCE
Your journey begins outside Yathay’s home, where you meet an eighty-eight-year-old man, brought to life with a hyper-realistic digital human powered by AI. As light gameplay mechanics guide your path, you delve deeper into the psyche of a father haunted by choices from his past. In a ceremonial rite that intertwines your fate with his, your hands become his; you see the world through his eyes; his memories and dilemmas flood your consciousness. In a surreal twist reminiscent of "Alice in Wonderland," you plunge into the depths of his memories, initiating a quest for redemption and understanding.
Navigate the cavernous labyrinthine symbolizing the recesses of Yathay’s mind to uncover the rich history of Cambodia and confront the moments and decisions that have defined Yathay's life leading to his family's separation and abandonment of his six-year-old son, Nawath. Relive the powerful moments that shaped his existence, feeling decades of sorrow and the relentless anguish of not knowing his son's fate.
Taken on a mythical branch, your odyssey culminates in the mystical echoes of Angkor Wat, a metaphorical beacon in the darkness of Yathay’s journey. Here, in the candle lit sanctuary, you'll uncover the final, elusive memory. It's in this moment of revelation that Yathay's unyielding spirit shines brightest, revealing a tale of enduring love and the transformative power of forgiveness.
OUR TEAM
With limited resources and taking over 5 years in the making, a dedicated team of nine artists who were passionate about storytelling, aspired to shape society and culture through technology by delivering an immersive experience with a mission to change the modern day narrative of family separation into one of reunification through a profound, life-altering journey of the heart, made with heart.
Carrying PC's and VR headsets in suitcases, we traveled relentlessly across continents to screen SAMS in over 25 countries and to share this true story with thousands of audiences, technologists, policymakers, NGO's, and Heads of State in an effort to humanize the trauma of family separation and urge people to join our mission to educate, empower, and reunite modern day families torn by conflict. By joining us on our journey to bring this powerful story and mission to wider audiences globally, your support is not only for this project, but a movement of change for these families. Your support serves as a beacon of hope amongst hopelessness, love in hate, and light against the darkness. We thank you!
Victoria, our cast, crew, and team UME
p.s. We know many of you do not have headsets and would like a desktop version. Due to our limited resources, it was only possible to make it in VR and we also felt this would be the most powerful use of the medium. But, we are listening and will find a way to bring SAMS to you! We also dropped the price to help spread the story. Please know, we are doing our best to find the funds to convert this project for desktop, albeit with some adjustment, and will continue to listen to your feedback because you and this community is our backbone.
CAST & TEAM
CREATOR: Written & Directed By: Victoria Bousis
CAST:
Elodie Yung (Cleaning Lady, Marvel's Daredevil, GI Joe Retaliation)
Arnold Chun (Man In the High Castle, Bullet Train)
Vincent Rodriguez (Mortal Kombat 1, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Raya & the Last Dragon)
Abraham Sigler (Disney's Wish, Raya & the Last Dragon)
Lucas Sigler (Disney's Wish)
Kostas Filippoglou (Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Wild Bees)
PRODUCTION STUDIO: UME Studios
