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Immersive Competition
The Immersive Competition is the Festival de Cannes’ Official Selection spotlighting the next generation of international artists who are redefining storytelling through immersive art.
Launched in 2024, the Immersive Competition showcases outstanding immersive, collective, and interactive works that move beyond the two-dimensional screen. By fully embracing the intrinsic possibilities of spatial computing technologies — including XR, video mapping, artificial intelligence, and other cutting-edge tools — these narrative-driven experiences create a powerful sense of presence, inviting audiences to exist within another world, body, or era.
With the support of the CNC (French National Centre of Cinema), the Immersive Competition aims to establish Cannes as a global hub for the immersive arts community. Each year, festival attendees are invited to discover a selection of works presented both in competition and through curated non-competitive showcases.
The Immersive Competition concludes with a dedicated ceremony during the Festival de Cannes, where an international jury composed of leading figures from both cinema and immersive creation awards the Best Immersive Work.
Looking Back at 2025
Following its successful debut, the Immersive Competition returned for its second edition in 2025, offering Festival de Cannes and Marché du Film participants an exclusive opportunity to experience a new wave of groundbreaking immersive works.
The 2025 edition marked a major milestone, bringing innovative storytelling and cutting-edge technologies to the heart of the Festival. The programme featured 9 immersive works in competition, 2 non-competitive projects, and 5 additional works presented as part of a special focus on Luxembourg. Hosted at the Carlton Hotel, the Competition occupied a prestigious 1,000 m² exhibition space and welcomed over 5,000 Festival attendees, reflecting the growing enthusiasm for immersive storytelling.
Chaired by French filmmaker Luc Jacquet, the Competition Jury awarded the Best Immersive Work prize to From Dust, a virtual reality experience by Michael van der Aa. The award was presented during a dedicated ceremony at the Plage des Palmes, marking a significant moment for immersive creation at the Festival de Cannes.
In parallel, the Marché du Film launched the Immersive Market, conceived as a natural extension of the Competition. Held aboard the Art Explora, the world’s largest catamaran, this new initiative created a dynamic platform for discovery, networking, and international distribution. Through conferences, expert panels, live demonstrations, and professional encounters, the Immersive Market strengthened connections across the global immersive ecosystem, further cementing Cannes as the premier destination for immersive cultural experiences.
