The 77th edition of the Festival de Cannes will introduce its inaugural Immersive Competition following Alejandro Iñárritu’s groundbreaking virtual reality piece Carne y Arena in 2017, in an attempt to spotlight the next wave of international artists pushing the boundaries of narrative experiences.
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Supported by the CNC (National Center for Cinema and the moving image), the competition will feature immersive works utilizing virtual reality, augmented reality, and other cutting-edge technologies. A committee of industry experts, overseen by the Festival’s General Delegate, will select eight entries for competition, alongside a curated selection of non-competitive works.
Attendees of the Festival, from May 15 to 24, will have the opportunity to explore these immersive works in exhibition spaces at the Cannes Cineum and the Georges Méliès Campus. The immersive entries will be judged by an international jury, with the winner receiving the Best Immersive Work prize.
Additionally, the Marché du Film will host events exploring the commercial and technical aspects of the immersive sector, further enhancing the Festival’s engagement with new forms of storytelling.
Outside of the Festival, the City of Cannes will unveil Cannes Immersive, a program supported by artist Jean-Michel Jarre and the CNC, aiming to establish Cannes as a hub for immersive creations and artificial intelligence-driven art. This initiative will integrate immersive experiences into Cannes events and contribute to advancing technological innovation in artistic expression.