The pioneering competition section Immersive: All around Cinema embraces films that make use of the most up-to-date technologies to unveil different aspects of an extended reality, paving new ways for the perception and interpretation of both the moving image and the art of cinema. The movies taking part in the Immersive section set their eyes on the Golden Alexander Immersive, accompanied by a cash prize of 2,000 euros.
The Immersive competition section includes eight films that take us from the rain gutters of a cathedral to the port of Piraeus, they go on to entangle us in-between a battle between the imperial forces and rebel pirates, while allowing us to guide spirits of deceased grandmas to their final destination. Climate change and the perils it triggers, death and the hereafter, art as a field of interaction, as well as the profound communication crisis of our era are some of the prevailing themes in this year’s programme. The films of the Immersive competition section will be screened in a specially configured venue at the ground floor of Warehouse C (Port of Thessaloniki) for the entire duration of the Festival (31/10-10/11/2024), with daily working hours from 1pm to 9pm.
Moreover, within the framework of the 65th TIFF the installation Intangible by Danish artist and designer Carl Emil Carlsen will be showcased out of competition at the Guardhouse at the entrance of the Port (31/10-10/11/2024, 13:00-21:00). Intangible investigates the oddly satisfying sensation of touching simulated natural phenomena while calling attention to the controversial idea of reconnecting with nature through computational means. This paradoxical and mediated return to nature places us at an awkward position of entrapment between two equally artificial realities, where simulated stimuli are designed to strike a bond with the natural world that seems increasingly remote. Intangible won the CPH:DOX Inter:Active Award in 2024.
Danish artist and designer Carl Emil Carlsen creates interactive experiences in the hybrid space between physical and virtual reality. Exploring the sensory potential of generative algorithms, and their application in live performance and visual music, he works closely with composers and musicians to investigate new forms of interplay between live sound and animation.
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Warehouse C - Ground Floor Pier Α, Port of Thessaloniki Duration and working hours: 31/10-10/11/2024 - 13:00-21:00 Ticket price: 3 euros |
The Immersive competition jury is composed of:
Arkaitz Basterra, producer, screenwriter, director, and Investor’s Committee Member (Moby Dick Film Capital)
Ellen Kuo, Head of XR Market at the NewImages Festival
Maria Mavropoulou, visual artist
Let’s take a look at the Immersive: All around Cinema films:
Gargoyle Doyle
Ethan Shaftel
USA-Argentina-Austria. 2023, 40΄
Doyle is a self-important gargoyle with a chip on his shoulder – quite literally, as he was damaged during installation on the cathedral. Relegated to a forgotten back alcove, Doyle finds himself stuck next to Chet, a decorative metal rain gutter who never shuts up. The pair watch the world change around them for 800 years as their alcove falls into disrepair. As bulldozers surround the cathedral, ready for demolition, both must confront who they really are and what their lives add up to.
The Journey of Piraeus
Filippos Tsitos
Greece, 2024, 22΄
A journey that traces the timeless port city of Piraeus, through a family's eyes across millennia. From its ancient roots as a maritime hub to modernity, witness their struggles and triumphs, over the evolving cityscape. Experience the passage of time as their story intertwines with Piraeus' evolution, unveiling a tapestry of heritage and culture.
Madame Pirate Code of Conduct
Morgan Ommer, Dan-chi Huang
Taiwan-France-USA, 2024, 17΄
In the midst of a battle between Imperial forces and a fleet of 70,000 Red Flag pirates, a timid young interpreter is taken captive and in her struggle for survival discovers that neither side is what she expected.
Mirror
De-Chuen Wu
Taiwan, 2024, 17΄
Three tin toys keep changing their costumes on the stage and performing in turns. However, they find themselves trapped in a dreamlike state resembling a mirror image, unable to extricate themselves.
Nana Lou
Isabelle Andreani
France-Luxembourg, 2024, 30
Plunged into the fantastic universe of the Tree of Life, you are surrounded by the spirits of the grandmothers who designate you to guide Grandma Lou in her last journey. When her granddaughter Charlotte gives birth in a Tokyo maternity hospital, she has a stroke in her home in France. The firemen take her to the hospital and she finds herself trapped between life and death... Through your enlightened presence at her side, you reawaken buried memories to help her to peacefully retire.
Next
Jeremy Oury
France, 2024, 7΄
This powerful immersive experience transports you to a future where humanity has irreversibly transformed its environment. It offers a nightmarish and predictive vision of what awaits us if we don't profoundly change our lifestyles. The idea is to present a silent witness to this transformation, based on material learned by artificial intelligence.
Oto’s planet
Gwenael François
Luxembourg-Canada-France, 2024, 28
Oto’s Planet follows the peaceful life of Oto, who loves nothing more than lounging in his hammock and enjoying the fruits of the single tree on his tiny planet. His tranquility is shattered when Exo, a hyperactive and cumbersome cosmonaut, crash-lands in a small spacecraft. The ensuing attempts at communication and cohabitation between these two unlikely roommates are fraught with difficulty.
Play Life
Žilvinas Naujokas, Vilius Petrauskas, Mantas Pronckus, Donatas Ulvydas
Lithuania 2024, 26΄
Play Life invites you into the vibrant world of Algis Kriščiūnas’ paintings, where art transforms into living, breathing stories. Through a nostalgic conversation between a man and a woman, the film explores love, memory, and the passage of time. Each scene unravels emotions, blending storytelling with Kriščiūnas’ creative vision. Accompanied by a specially composed soundtrack, the journey reveals the artist's deep reflections on life, offering viewers an immersive experience filled with emotion and beauty.
