Cinema without frames: How <i>Darkening</i> bridges virtual and real to redefine presence and narrative embodiment

This study examines how virtual reality (VR) cinema transforms spectatorship, embodiment, and narrative engagement through a phenomenological analysis of Darkening (Ondřej Moravec, 2022), a VR film exhibited at the Czech National Film Museum (NaFilm). VR cinema places the audience inside the film’s world, fostering narrative embodiment through interactive and spatial storytelling. In Darkening , viewers engage in actions such as reaching for objects, responding to auditory prompts, and navigating a virtual environment, creating a fluid relationship between observation and participation. The museum setting enhances this experience by introducing a paradox of asynchronous co-presence, where the solitary nature of VR engagement contrasts with the implied presence of other viewers. This study introduces a three-stage framework consisting of experiential chronology, embodied interactivity, and cognitive reflexivity to analyze how VR cinema reshapes meaning-making and viewer agency. This research combines film phenomenology and narrative theory to demonstrate how VR cinema expands the boundaries of storytelling, interactivity, and presence, offering a profoundly affective and participatory cinematic experience in museum contexts.