A Wartime Drama Told in Mixed Reality

Lionia Is Leaving

In war-torn Ukraine, an elderly man must decide whether to abandon his lifelong home—and face whatever his choice brings.

Discover the Story

World Premiere

SXSW 2026

March 12–18, Austin TX

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The Story

A House. A Life. A Choice.

Lionia Is Leaving is a mixed-reality immersive drama based on the true story of Lionia, a retired engineer from Okhtyrka, Ukraine, whose home was bombed during the Russian invasion.

The tale unfolds through photogrammetric fragments of a Ukrainian house, where characters appear only as animated shadows and voices. Navigating the space reveals scenes from before and at the invasion's start—family dinners, hurried packing, breaking news, a neighbor at the window.

As his family flees, Lionia refuses to leave. In a pivotal interaction, you try to move the stubborn old man from his sofa to avert the inevitable. But Lionia has made his choice—whatever it brings.

"If I should die, I'd rather die in a warm house."

The Experience

Immersive Mixed Reality

The narrative unfolds across interconnected moments, responding to your movement through space. Each memory scene is triggered by approaching objects in the room—a door, a dining table, a window, family photographs, a television—revealing layers of Lionia's life and relationships through shadows and spatial audio.

Utilizing photogrammetry of a traditional Ukrainian village house interior, we project dynamic shadows of characters onto its surfaces. Audiences immerse themselves in the voices, dialogues, and soundscape, watching shadows flicker on photogrammetric models, encouraging their imagination to weave the narrative.

The experience requires no controllers. You navigate naturally through physical movement, with the mixed reality environment adapting dynamically to your position and gaze.

We aim to foster empathy by giving more space to your imagination.

The Characters

Voices in the Shadows

Lionia

Voiced by Todd Lawson

Late 60s, a retired engineer. A grumpy-but-kind man who uses cynicism to avert the harshness of what he's going through. Stubbornly refuses to leave his home.

Maria

Voiced by Lisa Barnes

Late 60s, Lionia's wife, a retired accountant. Witty and lively, her relationship with Lionia is built on decades of inside jokes and sharp humor.

Ivanna

Voiced by Alessandra Fanelli

25, their daughter. More introverted than her parents, geeky, and prone to emotional outbursts when facing her father's stubborn decisions.

Nadya

Voiced by Holli Harmes

50s, the neighbor, a school teacher. Talky and sometimes annoying, but genuinely kind at heart. Tries desperately to save Lionia.

The Team

Creative Voices

Volodymyr Kolbasa

Director

Lucas Abrahão

Writer

Ján Hrončák

Executive Producer

Peter Panyik

Unity Developer

Vartan Markarian

Art Director

Maria Markarian

Sound Design

Lisa Barnes

Voice Cast

VRBA Labs

Production

Beyond the Experience

Rebuild Lionia's Home

This is more than a story—it's a humanitarian mission. The real Lionia's house was destroyed by Russian bombing. Proceeds from this project will help rebuild his home and support Ukrainian families affected by the ongoing conflict.

By experiencing this story, you become part of Lionia's journey from destruction to hope.

Support the Mission

Technical

Specifications

Platform

Meta Quest 3 / Pro

Coming Soon

Apple Vision Pro

Engine

Unity

Duration

~20 minutes

Space Required

Room-scale MR

Age Rating

PEGI 7

Languages

English, Ukrainian

Controllers

Not Required

Premiere