Cannes Film Festival Embraces XR: New Immersive Competition Showcases VR, AR, and Spatial Computing
Updated: May 23, 2024
Cannes Film Festival adds XR as an official category and competition. Eight selected works in the Immersive Competition, including VR and AR experiences.
XR includes virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and other variations of spatial computing. This move solidifies Cannes' commitment to pushing the boundaries of storytelling and technology in the film industry.
Cannes has been a supporter of VR for some time, having featured Aljandro Innaratu's groundbreaking VR experience, "Carne y Arena," in 2017, which went on to win a special award. Now, Cannes joins the ranks of other renowned film festivals such as Venice, Tribeca, and SXSW, which have already incorporated XR experiences since 2016.
The newly announced Immersive Competition at Cannes features eight selected works, including six experiences that can accommodate multiple users simultaneously. This addresses a common challenge with VR experiences in public spaces - throughput. French VR production company Atlas V, known for its innovative works like "Notes on Blindness," "Battlescar," and "Spheres," will be honored with a retrospective of six of its VR experiences.
One of the standout installations is "En amour," an interactive audio-visual installation about love and separation created by French studio Adrien M & Claire B. This installation has already been exhibited at the Philharmonie de Paris, with a capacity of 40 people per show. With 44 showings per week at capacity, it offers a more financially viable model compared to traditional headset-based experiences.
Another notable experience is "EVOLVER," a VR journey and meditation session that takes participants inside the human body, following the flow of oxygen. Up to six people can experience it simultaneously. "EVOLVER" has already been exhibited in Seoul, Warsaw, and Australia, boasting an impressive lineup of collaborators, including Pressman Film, Cate Blanchett (voice-over), telecommunications giant Orange, Marshmallow Laser Feast, and artists like Jonny Greenwood and Jon Hopkins.
"MAYA: The Birth of a Superhero" explores the coming-of-age story of a South Asian girl and her sexual awakening. The creators, Poulomi Basu and CJ Clarke, leverage the claustrophobic and isolating nature of VR to immerse viewers in the protagonist's shoes. This innovative storytelling technique aligns with the French New Wave movement's spirit of experimentation, making Cannes a potential platform for discovering future legends of immersive works.
Other notable XR experiences include "TELOS I," a holographic piece about an AI exploring its identity in a world without humans, and "HUMAN VIOLINS - PRELUDE," an interactive piece about the Holocaust, following the fictionalised story of Alma, a young violin player. Additionally, "COLORED" offers an augmented reality experience that transports viewers to 1950s Alabama, shedding light on the forgotten hero Claudette Colvin and her role in the Civil Rights movement.
One unique entry in the Immersive Competition is "The Roaming," directed by Mathieu Pradat, which explores themes of violence and solidarity. It stands out as the only experience featuring live actors, adding an intriguing dimension to the festival.
Lastly, "Traversing the Mist," which recently won the Grand Jury Prize at the NewImages Festival in Paris, is a location-based VR experience that delves into gay culture, voyeurism, and loneliness. Participants embody a young Taiwanese man as they venture into a gay sauna.
The Immersive Competition works can accommodate 3-25 guests per experience, with a collective exhibition throughput of approximately 542 people per day. While this may seem small compared to traditional cinema, it's important to remember that cinema itself was once an emerging art form. Cannes aims to contribute to the evolution of immersive works and overcome the major challenge of distribution.
Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, emphasises the festival's commitment to showcasing the best in cinema and now immersive works. He acknowledges that distribution is a significant challenge but believes that Cannes can achieve the same level of recognition and support for immersive works as it has for traditional cinema.
The Cannes Film Festival's decision to open an official competition for XR signifies a turning point for the medium. Elie Levasseur, the Immersive Competition Project Director, emphasises the importance of distinguishing immersive art from cinema and celebrating immersive artists as the stars of the ceremony. This dedicated event will further elevate the medium and bring immersive works to new audiences.
As part of the exhibition, six non-competitive works provided by Atlas V are showcased in a museum-like format, offering a glimpse into the evolution of XR. This serves as an educational experience for the film audience, many of whom may be encountering XR for the first time.
When the Immersive Competition doors open on May 15, Cannes will embark on a new chapter, embracing XR as a powerful storytelling medium. Levasseur's role is to curate exceptional pieces and support their commercialisation, just as Cannes has done for cinema.Cannes Film Festival Fully Embraces XR.
The prestigious Cannes Film Festival is making a groundbreaking move by fully embracing extended reality (XR) as an official category and competition. XR includes virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and other variations of spatial computing. This bold step solidifies Cannes' commitment to pushing the boundaries of storytelling and technology in the film industry.
Cannes has been a supporter of VR for some time, having featured Aljandro Innaratu's VR experience, "Carne y Arena," in 2017, which won a special award. Now, Cannes joins other renowned film festivals like Venice, Tribeca, and SXSW, which have already incorporated XR experiences since 2016.
The newly announced Immersive Competition at Cannes includes eight selected works, with six experiences that can accommodate multiple users simultaneously. This addresses a common challenge with VR experiences in public spaces - throughput. French VR production company Atlas V, known for breakthrough works like "Notes on Blindness," "Battlescar," and "Spheres," will be honored with a retrospective of six of its VR experiences.
One notable installation is "En amour," an interactive audio-visual installation about love and separation created by French studio Adrien M & Claire B. This installation has already been exhibited at the Philharmonie de Paris, with a capacity of 40 people per show. With 44 showings per week at capacity, it offers a more financially viable model compared to traditional headset-based experiences.
Another standout experience is "EVOLVER," a VR journey and meditation session that takes participants inside the human body, following the flow of oxygen. Up to six people can experience it simultaneously. "EVOLVER" has already been exhibited in Seoul, Warsaw, and Australia, boasting an impressive lineup of collaborators, including Pressman Film, Cate Blanchett (voice-over), telecommunications giant Orange, Marshmallow Laser Feast, and artists like Jonny Greenwood and Jon Hopkins.
"MAYA: The Birth of a Superhero" explores the coming-of-age story of a South Asian girl and her sexual awakening. The creators, Poulomi Basu and CJ Clarke, leverage the claustrophobic and isolating nature of VR to immerse viewers in the protagonist's shoes. This innovative storytelling technique aligns with the French New Wave movement's spirit of experimentation, making Cannes a potential platform for discovering future legends of immersive works.
Other notable XR experiences include "TELOS I," a holographic piece about an AI exploring its identity in a world without humans, and "HUMAN VIOLINS - PRELUDE," an interactive piece about the Holocaust, following the fictionalised story of Alma, a young violin player. Additionally, "COLORED" offers an augmented reality experience that transports viewers to 1950s Alabama, shedding light on the forgotten hero Claudette Colvin and her role in the Civil Rights movement.
One unique entry in the Immersive Competition is "The Roaming," directed by Mathieu Pradat, which explores themes of violence and solidarity. It stands out as the only experience featuring live actors, adding an intriguing dimension to the festival.
Lastly, "Traversing the Mist," which recently won the Grand Jury Prize at the NewImages Festival in Paris, is a location-based VR experience that delves into gay culture, voyeurism, and loneliness. Participants embody a young Taiwanese man as they venture into a gay sauna.
The Immersive Competition works can accommodate 3-25 guests per experience, with a collective exhibition throughput of approximately 542 people per day. While this may seem small compared to traditional cinema, Cannes aims to contribute to the evolution of immersive works and overcome the major challenge of distribution.
Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, emphasises the festival's commitment to showcasing the best in cinema and now immersive works. He acknowledges that distribution is a significant challenge but believes that Cannes can achieve the same level of recognition and support for immersive works as it has for traditional cinema.
The Cannes Film Festival's decision to open an official competition for XR signifies a turning point for the medium. Elie Levasseur, the Immersive Competition Project Director, emphasises the importance of distinguishing immersive art from cinema and celebrating immersive artists as the stars of the ceremony. This dedicated event will further elevate the medium and bring immersive works to new audiences.
As part of the exhibition, six non-competitive works provided by Atlas V are showcased in a museum-like format, offering a glimpse into the evolution of XR. This serves as an educational experience for the film audience, many of whom may be encountering XR for the first time.
When the Immersive Competition doors open on May 15, Cannes will embark on a new chapter, embracing XR as a powerful storytelling medium. Levasseur's role is to curate exceptional pieces and support their commercialisation, just as Cannes has done for cinema.
Cannes Film Festival adds XR as an official category and competition
Eight selected works in the Immersive Competition, including VR and AR experiences
Source: FORBES