Q

Can virtual reality close the global empathy gap?

Filmmaker Gabo Arora on his UN-sponsored virtual reality film, Waves of Grace.
Workers in hazmat suits bury an Ebola victim in a scene from Gabo Arora's Waves of Grace. (Gabo Arora)

In a desensitized world, can immersive viewing experiences create deeper viewer empathy for those in the throes of a humanitarian crisis? 

Filmmaker Gabo Arora thinks so. He joins guest host Talia Schlanger to discuss Waves of Grace — his UN-sponsored virtual reality film series that follows people like Liberian Ebola survivor Decontee Davis. 

"We really believe that this new technology can build empathy in a way that traditional media can't," he says. "We take you to places you ordinarily can't go." 

WEB EXTRA | You can watch a non-immersive version of the film here