Interactive virtual reality short film about a woman navigating menopause in a near-future world of A.I. surveillance and climate collapse, shown at the Belfast XR Festival.
The Baby Factory Is Closed is back at The Black Box on Monday 2 November, returning to Belfast as part of the Belfast XR Festival. It's an award-winning, 20-minute interactive VR story that puts you inside the body of Zoraan, a woman navigating menopause in a near-future world of AI surveillance, climate collapse, and systems determined to control her. The creators describe it as funny, furious, surreal, and unapologetically rebellious, and it turns the body itself into a battleground.
It's directed by Deepa Mann-Kler, with original music by Katie Richardson. The piece was made with Expand funding and has toured the USA, Canada, and France to sold-out audiences, picking up an Official Selection at SXSW 2026, Annecy, Galway Film Fleadh, New Images, FIVARS, Manchester Animation Film Festival, ART VR, and the V&A London Digital Design Weekend. It's also part of the Belfast Film Festival, which is presenting it here alongside an industry day for Northern Ireland's XR community. The XR festival itself runs across two days at The Black Box.
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On the day, half-hour slots run from 10am to 4pm, so you can pick a time that fits your morning or afternoon. Tickets are £7, and they're limited to six per slot, which keeps the experience small and focused. It's for ages 16 and over.
