Cannes XR Hosts Over 55 New Works, Including Original VR Program from Canceled Tribeca Film Festival
Cannes XR, the Cannes market’s virtual reality-focused sidebar, is itself going virtual this year, from June 24 to 26, as part of the Marché du Film Online. The XR program will consist of more than 55 new VR and interactive works, with major partnerships including the Museum of Other Realities, a virtual space providing its entire virtual art gallery. The program is developed in partnership with the Tribeca Film Festival, presenting selections from its canceled 2020 program including six premieres; VeeR VR and Positron, presenting 360-degree pieces; and Kaleidoscope, partnering with Cannes to promote work in development. The program also includes more than 45 conferences, including pitch sessions, keynotes, and panels.
“The virtual space allows us to touch another community that usually doesn’t come to Cannes because it’s too expensive or too far,” lead programmer Elie Levasseur told IndieWire. “I think we’ve figured out how to use this space in professional conditions and showcase new work. We can use it to engage a large audience. For me that’s really exciting. At the beginning of the pandemic…my expectation was a bit low. Now I feel like we’ll have the first step of a new version of what our event will be like going forward.”
Two prizes will be handed out by a jury of professionals, in the Museum of Other Realities on June 26: the VeeR Future Award and the Positron Visionary Award. The jury team is composed of festival programmers, producers, industry leaders, distributors, and academic researchers.
Attendees of the Tribeca Film Festival Virtual Arcade can discover a lineup of 12 VR as well as MR (mixed reality) experiences and exhibits from new and established artists using unique technology and perspective to tell stories. In addition, Tribeca will also host two creative panel discussions, and a virtual dance party, as part of their contributions to the event. The virtual party will take place in celebration of Cannes XR’s opening night.
All VR content will be available through the Museum of Other Realities, which will host Cannes XR ‘s dedicated VR area. For all VR headset-owners, access is free of charge, from June 24 to 26, then on replay until July 3. Conferences will be streamed via the Marché du Film’s website. Access the Museum of Realities via the Steam app (PC users can access events in 2D if they don’t have headsets). Read more about the evolving potential of VR and Cannes XR in IndieWire’s recent deep-dive.
See the full lineup for Cannes XR over at the Marché du Film’s website.
