The Virtual Reality programme will be on display at the Ritz Carlton Hotel from December 2- 8, 2022.
The Red Sea International Film Festival has announced the programme for its Virtual Reality competition, which aims to celebrate innovative immersive art and entertainment.
The programme will feature 10 virtual reality productions representing the best of international VR creativity from 2022, which will be in competition with each other for the Gold and Silver Yusr Awards. The Gold Yusr Award is worth $10,000.
Red Sea: Virtual Reality will also collaborate with Ithra Creative Solutions Programme, the first development programme for immersive works in Saudi Arabia, to showcase four projects from this year’s cohort. These will include The Anticipation of Rain, Alqatt al-Asiri, Wamdah – a Glimpse to the Future, and Story of Science – Reflection on the Cosmos.
Speaking about the category, Kaleem Aftab, Director of International Programming, said: “The Red Sea International Film Festival is extremely proud to present this year’s Virtual Reality programme. The selection of pieces represents the very best immersive experiences from all over the world, coupling art with cutting-edge technology and building the future of storytelling.”
Liz Rosenthal, Curator of Red Sea: Virtual Reality programme, added: “We have some truly phenomenal pieces in this year’s selection, including one of the first multi-player mixed reality experiences. These artists are testing the boundaries of creative possibility in a thought-provoking and inclusive way.”
The 10 works in the competition include (Hi)story of a Painting: The Light in the Shadow, directed by Gaëlle Mourre and Quentin Darras, winner of the Special Jury Prize at SXSW 2022.
Directed by German Heller and winner of the Special Jury Prize, Venice Immersive, Venice International Film Festival, Eggscape is a mixed reality multi-player game in which participants use controllers to protect their terrified little egg struggling to survive in various challenging environments.
Elele, which means “hands meet hands” in Turkish, is produced by a Turkish-Dutch team and directed by Sjoerd van Acker. Using controllers, a VR headset and an original electronic soundtrack, it invites participants to dance using only their hands.
Other films include Eurydice, a Descent into Infinity, From the Main Square, Kingdom of Plants with David Attenborough, On the Morning you Wake to the End of the World, Nyssa, Shores of Loci, and The Man who Couldn’t Leave.
The Virtual Reality programme will be on display at the Ritz Carlton Hotel between 14:00 – 22:00 from December 2- 8, 2022. Audiences will be required to book tickets in advance for access: for non-accredited guests, tickets will be sold at SAR 20 ($5.32) for a single title and SAR 100 ($26.60) for a full pass to view all ten projects.