An international artistic program

XR COMPETITION

For 5 days, the XR Competition presents some 15 immersive works competing for prizes ranging from €3,000 to €6,000.

SELECTION XR COMPETITION 2024

XR COMPETITION 2024 JURY

To find out more about the XR Competition jury, click here to read our article on the subject.

OUT-OF-COMPETITION

In 2024, the spotlight was on Heritage, whether cultural, historical or archaeological. The selection will feature around fifteen works in a rich variety of formats, from XR to video games, hybrid shows and other innovative devices.

SELECTION OUT-OF-COMPETITION 2024

Residents’ projects

As part of the residencies developed by the NewImages Hub, a number of winners will be presenting prototypes of their projects at the NewImages Festival. Come and see 3 of these works on level -1 of the Canopée des Halles:

Beyond Midnight by Dorian Rigal and Léon Denise

Beyond Midnight is an immersive interactive experience. Between a digital sculpture and a playful immersion in the cyberspace. You will discover the world of the inner travel, infinite digital landscapes and will learn about the technology of spirituality.

Sense of Nowhere de Hsin-Hsuan YEH

Sense of Nowhere is an interactive VR experience inspired by Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism and Psychology.

The story is influenced by the idea of “illusion” from Buddhism, “Path(Tao)” from Taoism, and “Active Imagination” from Carl Jung. Meantime, the hand-tracking interactive is designed to refer to “Mudra”, the meaningful hand gestures in Hinduism. In this production, the artist attempts to interpret how people activate imagination and self-reflection during zoning out. It demonstrates associative thinking as an inner journey that echoes in a dream-like, morphing, and circular way.

The Origin of Things – The Garden de Jérémy Griffaud

The spectator, immersed inside the VR helmet is sitting on a seat in the middle of itthe space. In the Metaverse, he cannot move but is surrounded by interactive control screens. The environment surrounding the spectator, a futuristic garden made from animated watercolors appears also in the IRL space as an immersive multi-projection. The user can control many switches, each of which causes a specific action around him.

Meetings with the public

In order to open up digital creation to as many people as possible, NewImages Festival is offering 2 exceptional screenings open to all in the presence of people involved in the creation of the works Colored and Stay Alive, My Son. These encounters are an opportunity to learn more about these committed and touching works presented in the Festival’s Out-of-Competition category.

MEETING THE TEAM OF COLORED (NOIRE)

Wednesday 24 april 6:30pm at Forum des images

With Tania de Montaigne (author), Stéphane Foenkinos, Pierre-Alain Giraud (directors)
Artwork presented in Out-of-Competition’s category
Free entrance. Reservation required to be collected at the cash desk (opening 1 hour before the start of the session).

About the artwork :

An immersion into 1950s Alabama, in the heart of the civil rights struggle. In Montgomery, Alabama, on the 2nd of March 1955, on the 2:30 pm bus, 15-year-old Claudette Colvin refuses to give up her seat to a white passenger. Despite threats, she remains seated.After being thrown into jail, she decides to challenge the city and plead not guilty. No one had ever dared to do that. Yet, no one will remember her name.

→ Discover Colored at La Place (Forum des Halles, under the Canopée) during the festival.

MEETING AROUND STAY ALIVE, MY SON (TU VIVRAS, MON FILS)

Thurday 25 april 6:30pm at Forum des images

With Pin Yathay (author of the book Stay Alive, My Son published by l’Archipel) and Victoria Bousis (director)
Artwork presented in Out-of-Competition’s category
Free entrance. Reservation required to be collected at the cash desk (opening 1 hour before the start of the session).

About the artwork :

Based on Pin Yathay’s famous memories, Stay Alive, My Son is an immersive, mythical, cinematic experience let’s you become a father who survived the Cambodian genocide. The author’s heart, metaphorically represented by the marvellous temple of Angkor Wat, is in search of a missing son and personal salvation. The player uncovers hidden memories of Yathay’s story by solving various riddles while learning about Cambodia’s culture and troubled past. As the player solves each puzzle, Yahtay’s heart heals. In the same way, a nation heals from its tragic past. Spanning 45 years, this inspiring saga is a testament to a father’s unshakeable will to survive for the sake of his family and to bring justice to his country.

→ Discover Stay Alive, My Son at la Terrasse (level -1 of Forum des Halles, under the Canopée) during the festival.