Film festivals have really come along leaps and bounds over the past couple of years when it comes to connecting with audiences via immersive worlds. Cannes XR has been one event at the forefront of these changes, previously collaborating with Tribeca Immersive and NewImages Festival on XR3 in 2021. Today, Cannes XR and NewImages Festival have announced a new partnership, launching a dedicated metaverse later this year called Alexandria.
Built in collaboration with virtual space specialist Kreis, Alexandria has been conceived around the idea of a virtual port, a hub where guests can head out to enjoy the immersive works on offer. Over 30 VR works will be presented in Alexandria during the two festivals, with the inaugural Cannes XR event to take place in May whilst NewImages will be held a month later.
Accessible only through virtual reality (VR) headsets, Alexandria will serve as a common metaverse for both festivals. Previously, these sort of virtual exhibition spaces have been temporary, built for a festival and then taken down, much like the physical events they represent. Alexandria is going to be different as its job will be to host immersive events throughout the year.
“We’re delighted to participate in creating this truly inspiring virtual environment in partnership with NewImages Festival and Kreis. Opening in May, this futuristic world will host our Cannes XR exhibition which will showcase today’s most impressive VR artworks, carefully curated by our partner VeeR,” said Guillaume Esmiol, Co-Executive Director of Cannes’ Marché du Film in a statement.
“We are very happy to renew our partnership with Cannes XR by launching a more ambitious project, which makes these virtual works accessible in a world without borders,” adds Michaël Swierczynski, Director of NewImages Festival. “Alexandria is both a shining light on the horizon of immersive creation and the home base for future ‘metaverses ‘ in art and culture.”
Alexandria will be compatible with SteamVR and Meta Quest headsets, with the Cannes XR exhibition taking place from 17th-28th May 2022. The NewImages Festival will run from 8th-12th June. Cannes XR will be free to both public audiences and professionals whilst access to the NewImages Festival exhibition requires accreditation.
For continued updates including which VR works will make the selection, keep reading gmw3.