The Cannes Film Festival is set to introduce a new competition segment focused on immersive storytelling for its upcoming 77th edition in May, the organisers announced on Wednesday.

The Immersive Competition will showcase eight works utilising virtual reality, augmented reality and other cutting-edge technologies to transcend conventional storytelling boundaries.

Alejandro González Iñárritu's groundbreaking virtual reality piece Carne y Arena (Virtually Present, Physically Invisible), which premiered at the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, marked a significant milestone as the first immersive work presented in an official capacity at a major film festival. Building on this legacy, the Festival de Cannes has announced the inception of the Immersive Competition.

For its inaugural edition, a committee comprising industry experts and Cannes representatives will handpick eight immersive works for the competition. A selection of non-competitive works will also highlight the symbiotic relationship between immersive experiences and cinema.

The selected works will be available for viewing by Festival de Cannes and Marché du Film attendees from May 15 to 24. They will be showcased in a 1300m2 exhibition space at the Cannes Cineum, located in Cannes La Bocca, as well as the Georges Méliès Campus, a hub dedicated to creative writing and film studies.

The competition entries will vie for the prestigious Best Immersive Work award, to be presented by an international jury comprised of distinguished figures from the realms of cinema and immersive art.