Tilda Swinton will lend her voice to Impulse: Playing with Reality, an interactive mixed-reality documentary exploring Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The project, from co-directors May Abdalla and Barry Gene Murphy, will premiere at the 2024 Venice Immersive program of the 81st Venice International Film Festival.

Swinton also narrated the directors’ 2021 VR work Goliath, an exploration of one man’s experience of psychosis, which went on to win the Grand Jury Prize for Best VR Immersive Work at the 78th Venice
film fest and be nominated for a news and documentary Emmy in the outstanding interactive media innovation category.

Impulse is the second installment in the “Playing with Reality” series from U.K. producer Anagram which aims to shed light on mental health conditions through immersive storytelling. The documentary follows four individuals grappling with ADHD, offering viewers a unique perspective on how the condition shapes their decision-making and worldviews.

The project draws from more than 100 hours with individuals on the severe end of the ADHD spectrum. They include Leanne, who turns her world into a game to escape boredom; Omar, who focuses his chaotic mind by planning risky heists; and Tara, who is on the brink of giving up entirely. The mixed reality format aims to blur the lines between the familiar and the new, fostering a deeper understanding of the condition.

Viewers attempting to follow a train of thought or a set of actions find the material in the room around them setting off a chain reaction leading to all sorts of mayhem.

Impulse is one of the 63 VR projects from 25 countries that will be presented as part of the Venice Immersive lineup, running alongside the Venice Film Festival Aug. 28-Sept. 7.