Cannes Film Festival Launches New Competition Dedicated To Immersive Works

The Cannes Film Festival and its Marché du Film have announced the launch of a new competition dedicated to immersive work at the upcoming 77th edition.

“The competition aims to spotlight the next generation of international artists who are redefining storytelling and inventing new narrative-driven experiences that move beyond the traditional two-dimensional cinema screen,” the festival and market said in a statement announcing the initiative.

“With the support of the CNC (National Center for Cinema and the moving image), the competition will feature immersive, collective and interactive works that utilize virtual reality, augmented reality and other cutting-edge technologies to transcend conventional storytelling and transport audiences to other worlds, narratives and eras.”

The works will be displayed in a large exhibition space at the Cannes Cineum – the cinema complex of Cannes La Bocca – and the Georges Méliès Campus, a university institution dedicated to creative writing and film.

Accredited festival and market participants will have access to the works throughout the 77th edition running from May 14 to 25.

The festival has previously welcomed immersive works on a sporadic basis kicking off with Alejandro González Iñárritu, who made history at the 70th edition in 2017 with his ground-breaking virtual reality piece, Carne y Arena (Virtually Present, Physically Invisible).

It was the first immersive work ever presented as an official selection at a major film festival. Recognized for his pioneering vision, Iñárritu received a special Academy Award for the project.

For its inaugural edition, a committee of industry experts and Cannes Film Festival representatives, under the supervision of General Delegate Thierry Frémaux, will select eight immersive works in competition.

Additionally, a curated selection of non-competitive works, illustrating the synergy between immersive experiences and cinema, will complement the program.