Close Encounters – Larger than life Virtual Safari

🏆 **Winner — Best Environmental Film, Dome Fest West 2025**

**Close Encounters** is an 8K Fulldome wildlife film that takes audiences on an immersive virtual safari, bringing them face-to-face with Africa’s most iconic animals. Directed by Telmo dos Reis and produced by VR Capture, this award-winning cinematic experience offers a unique perspective on nature and conservation through immersive storytelling.

Filmed in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, the film transports viewers into the heart of the wild, allowing them to experience lions, elephants, rhinos, and other majestic creatures in their natural habitat — as if they were standing right beside them. Through stunning visuals, spatial surround sound, and expert storytelling led by ranger Shane Raw, **Close Encounters** creates an awe-inspiring connection to nature, offering an experience that would be impossible or too dangerous in real life.

Using state-of-the-art cameras, drones, and expert wildlife knowledge, the production team captured intimate, real-time encounters — including a lion attempting to grab the camera and a herd of elephants curiously surrounding the lens.

Beyond its breathtaking visuals, **Close Encounters** carries a powerful conservation message, highlighting the importance of protected lands, land rehabilitation, and sustainable wildlife conservation. The film immerses audiences in the African wilderness, fostering a deep emotional connection that inspires awareness and action to protect these fragile ecosystems.

**Close Encounters** is set for international distribution in planetariums and immersive theaters worldwide, bringing Africa’s incredible wildlife to audiences who may never have the chance to experience it firsthand.

**Credits:**
Director: Telmo dos Reis
Production Company: VR Capture
Lead Guide: Shane Raw
Format: 8K Fulldome
Genre: Wildlife, Conservation
Location: KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa