The Cannes Film Festival has introduced a new competition section focused on immersive cinema, following the groundbreaking presentation of Alejandro González Iñárritu’s virtual reality piece, ‘Carne y Arena (Virtually Present, Physically Invisible)’ at its 70th edition in 2017.
Recognizing the evolution of immersive storytelling and in alignment with the Marché du Film’s dedication to exploring innovative technologies and art forms, the festival is launching the Immersive Competition for its upcoming 77th edition. This competitive strand will showcase eight immersive works alongside a curated selection of non-competitive pieces, highlighting the intersection of immersive experiences and cinema.
The selected works, which employ virtual reality, augmented reality, and other cutting-edge technologies, aim to transcend traditional storytelling and transport audiences to diverse worlds, narratives, and eras. A jury comprising esteemed figures from the film and immersive art realms will present the Best Immersive Work prize at a separate closing ceremony.
The VR projects will be exhibited at the Cannes Cineum and the Cannes Georges Méliès Campus. The introduction of this competition follows the Venice Film Festival's establishment of Venice VR in 2017, reflecting the growing recognition of immersive storytelling within major film festivals.
Additionally, the Cannes City Hall will announce the launch of the "Cannes Immersive" program, sponsored by musician and technology enthusiast Jean-Michel Jarre with the support of the CNC (National Center for Cinema), which aims to be "a global hub dedicated to immersive creations and the new artistic territory of artificial intelligence (AI)," according to the statement.
From May 15 to 24, the selected works will be accessible to festival-goers and accredited attendees of the Marché du Film, during the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival itself, which will take place from May 14 to 25.
Photo: Freerange Stock
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