LIBRARY OF DREAMS Recommended for Funding by FFF Bayern, Announces Co-Production Between Less Media Group and Abduct Media

The project began in 2022 when artist and director Jane Rzheznikova first presented the concept during an educational course for digital artists developed by Less Media Group in partnership with the French Institute. The program introduced emerging creatives to the XR industry and inspired the initial development of LIBRARY OF DREAMS Following the course, producer Alina Mikhaleva of Less Media Group joined the project, and the team began building its first prototype.

The first prototype was selected for presentation at the Innovation Studio during the Sunny Side of the Doc festival in La Rochelle in June 2023. The project’s development accelerated later that year through participation in two key European Creators Lab programs: the Immersive Residency in Luxembourg (September 2023) and the Prototyping Lab in Leipzig (November 2023). These labs played a critical role in shaping the project’s four-part narrative structure and advancing its technical prototype.

In 2024, Library of Dreams was selected as one of the twelve international projects to participate in the prestigious Venice Biennale College Cinema — Immersive program. The project was later invited to the Venice Gap Financing Market as part of the Venice Production Bridge during the 80th Venice International Film Festival. In April 2024, the team also took part in the NewImages XR Development Market in Paris, further expanding the project’s international network and reach.

Based on extensive documentary research, LIBRARY OF DREAMS draws on dream accounts from three pivotal periods of political repression: the Third Reich, the USSR of the 1930s and 1940s, and modern-day Russia. The experience is grounded in the pioneering work of German author Charlotte Beradt, whose book "The Third Reich of Dreams" laid the foundation for the study of political dreams. By weaving together real dreams collected from individuals across these eras, the VR experience constructs an interconnected universe of the collective unconscious, where recurring patterns reveal how the human psyche responds to the pressure of political violence

Now entering a key stage of its production, LIBRARY OF DREAMS will move forward with the support of FFF Bayern and a newly launched co-production with Abduct Media, an XR studio based in Nuremberg, Bavaria. Known for its innovative work in immersive storytelling — including the FFF-funded mixed reality game prototype The Demise of the ISS Leonardo — Abduct Media brings essential creative and technical expertise to the partnership. The FFF Bayern funding and international collaboration will enable the project to complete full production, with a premiere planned for 2026.

The FFF Bayern (FilmFernsehFonds Bayern) is one of Germany’s leading regional film and media funding institutions, based in Munich. Established to support the development, production, and distribution of high-quality film, television, and interactive media projects, the fund plays a key role in strengthening Bavaria as a hub for audiovisual innovation. FFF Bayern provides financial support to both emerging talents and established creators, with a strong emphasis on artistic excellence, cultural impact, and international co-productions.

More information: https://www.fff-bayern.de/en/

Abduct Media is an independent XR studio based in Nuremberg, Germany, specializing in immersive AR, VR, and MR games and experiences — from games like Interdimensional Mailmen to investigative, multi‑user simulations such as The Demise of the ISS Leonardo. Their mixed reality game prototype The Demise of the ISS Leonardo was previously funded by FFF Bayern, showcasing the studio’s innovative approach to interactive storytelling.

Learn more: https://abduct.media/

Less Media Group is a Georgian creative studio founded by XR professional Alina Mikhaleva, who brings over a decade of experience in immersive media and is currently based in Tel Aviv, Israel. The studio works across content creation, virtual events, festival organization, and narrative XR development. Actively engaged in building XR education in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Less Media Group has launched several programs for emerging artists in the region. Library of Dreams originated from one of the studio’s first digital art programs, organized in partnership with the French Institute in 2022.

Learn more: https://lessmediagroup.com/