Swallowed by Water, an immersive storytelling project capturing the emotional reality of climate anxiety through extended reality technology (XR) has received a grant under the British Council’s Connections Through Culture program. This collaboration between Rappler and the XR Lab at the Atlantic Institute in the UK will explore how XR technology can help audiences understand climate anxiety as the emotional distress experienced by those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.
The Connections Through Culture grants program is designed to foster new artistic collaborations between the Asia-Pacific region and the UK. This round of grants focuses on two key themes: diversity and inclusion, and addressing climate change. By enabling cross-border exchanges, the program supports creative partnerships that generate new perspectives and solutions to urgent global challenges.
A three-phase approach to immersive storytelling
“What does it feel like to live with the climate crisis?” This haunting question is at the heart of Swallowed by Water, which will use 360-degree film and animation to create a deeply personal and immersive experience of climate anxiety.
The British Council grant will support the research and development (R&D) phase of Swallowed by Water which unfolds in three key phases. First, the project team will identify possible filming locations in climate-vulnerable areas of the Philippines. Then, a collaborative XR Storytelling Workshop at the Atlantic Institute XR Lab in Oxford will bring together journalist and Atlantic Fellow Ana P. Santos, award-winning VR Producer and Atlantic Fellow Myriam Hernandez and Rappler Production Specialist, Errol Almario with the XR Lab Team’s Alice Wroe, Deepa Mann-Kler, and Richard Smith to explore the role and power of immersive storytelling in advocacy. Finally, the team will attend the Sheffield DocFest to apply their insights from the workshop.
“Reporting on climate change, all its complexities and its impact on vulnerable countries like the Philippines has been one of the main thrusts of Rappler as a news organization. We hope that the immersive storytelling from this collaboration would help audiences see what it’s like to live in a country where intense storms have become the new normal,” said Jee Geronimo, Rappler editor for Environment and Science.
Urgency of climate storytelling in the Philippines
The World Risk Report ranks the Philippines as the most climate-vulnerable country in the world, facing rising sea levels, stronger typhoons, and environmental degradation posing existential threats to millions. By placing audiences in a 360-degree digital environment, the project will simulate the emotional impacts of the climate crisis that data alone cannot fully convey.
“The XR Lab at the Atlantic Institute champions virtual reality as a powerful tool for climate justice and equity, immersing audiences in the lived realities of climate vulnerable communities,” said Deepa Mann-Kler, XR Lead (maternity cover) for the Atlantic Institute.
“VR compels action. More than just storytelling, it is a force for equity, amplifying marginalized voices, inspiring global solidarity, and mobilizing support for just climate policies and humanitarian aid. This technology turns passive observers into engaged advocates, making climate justice a collective responsibility. Through immersive experiences, VR drives systemic change, ensuring that those most affected by the climate crisis are seen, heard, and empowered,” Mann-Kler added.
A call to action through storytelling
Beyond storytelling, the project also aims to impact climate mitigation policy. Through this partnership, Swallowed by Water underscores the need for cross-border collaboration in addressing climate injustice. By blending technology with storytelling, this project seeks to push climate communication beyond facts and figures, making the crisis more immediate and impossible to ignore.
“Swallowed by Water is a powerful example of how creative technology can transform the way we engage with the climate crisis. By using Extended Reality (XR) to move beyond data and into emotional storytelling, this project has the potential to inspire action through empathy. Through the Connections Through Culture grant, we are proud to support this collaboration between Atlantic Institute-XR Lab and Rappler, demonstrating how cross-border partnerships can drive innovation and deepen our understanding of urgent global challenges,” Andrei Nikolai Pamintuan, Head of Arts, British Council in the Philippines. – Rappler.com