“The interactive film is not a gimmick. It could be the start of a film movement” is how James Hayes, Events Manager reacted when Neville Raschid, Founder and CEO of Aviary Films outlined the inaugural programme for the Interactive Film Club, which is set to launch on 10 April at 7pm at the Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel as an official side event of the London Games Festival 2025.
So, how does an interactive film work? Fans in attendance will get to decide how the film ends via vote! Upon entering the screening, they will be handed glow sticks. At different intervals throughout the film a decision of how it progresses will be put to the audience. The most votes for a particular narrative branch will be the winner!
Eager fans can pre-order tickets here.
The news come off the back of the success of ‘The Gallery’, which, like ‘Hello Stranger’, was written and directed by Paul Raschid, whose interactive film credits also include ‘The Complex’ (2020), ‘Five Dates’ (2021), ‘The Gallery’ (2022) and ‘Ten Dates’ (2023). His work has thrilled audiences at festivals in France, including the prestigious Dinard Film Festival, the UK, which included a brief run at the Genesis in 2023, and China.
The trailer for ‘Hello Stranger’ can be seen here.
With ‘Hello Stranger’, Paul Raschid continues to explore the space at the convergence of film and video games. The cast includes George Blagden (‘Vikings’, ‘Versailles’ and ‘The Gallery’). Laura Whitmore (‘Queenie’ and ‘2:22 A Ghost Story’), Danny Griffin (‘Fate: The Winx Saga’), Christina Wolfe (‘The Ark’ and ‘FBI: International’), Kulvinder Ghir (‘Goodness Gracious Me’ and ‘Foundation’), Yasmin Finney (‘Heartstopper’ and ‘Doctor Who’) and Sir Derek Jacobi (‘Gladiator’ and many more).
Fans of interactive cinema can add ‘Hello Stranger’, which boasts ten different endings, to their Steam Wishlist here ahead of its May release. Wishlisting is not an obligation to buy.
Synopsis for Hello Stranger is as follows:
Cam is a techno-hermit, conducting life from his electronically automated smart home. Work, shopping, entertainment and most notably: socialising. Cam interacts with strangers on the platform Hello Stranger: a randomised video chatting website. Eventually, he encounters a masked stranger with an altered voice. Unnerved, Cam leaves the call only to find the stranger has hacked his smart home and locked him in. The stranger tells Cam that he must win three rounds of games, or it is ‘game over’. Viewers must make decisions and play the three games in order for Cam to survive, but one wrong choice could lead to a grisly end.
The Interactive Film Club programme from June to December 2025
‘Hello Stranger’ will play at the Genesis till the end of May. From June onwards, ‘The Gallery 1981’ and ‘The Gallery 2021’ will join ‘Hello Stranger’ and play in repertory. ‘The Complex’, ‘Five Dates’ and ‘Ten Dates’ may join the lineup as well. In October, ‘The Run’ will launch as an Event Cinema release. ‘The Run’ is a horror thriller. ‘The Run’ stars Roxanne McKee (‘Game of Thrones’) and George Blagden, with cameos from Italian cinema legends Franco Nero and Dario Argento. Paul Raschid writes and directs.
After the launch, ‘The Run’ will join the other titles in repertory in 2026.
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