NewImages 2020 has its XR Competition’s jury!

To reward the finest international immersive creation (VR, AR), the NewImages Festival brings together a prestigious jury made up of five artists coming from different eclectic and bold backgrounds, who will be able to have a unique and extremely enriching perspective on the 2020 selection thanks to their complementary affinities.

Julie Bertuccelli has directed both fiction films (Since Otar Left…, Claire Darling) and documentaries (School of Babel, Latest News from the Cosmos), which won her numerous awards and international recognition. Today, she is the president of the Cinematheque du Documentaire (the documentary film library), after completing two terms at the Civil Society of Multimedia Authors (Scam).

An author and director of animated films, Jeremy Clapin trained at ENSAD and his talent was immediately expressed through short films. In 2019, his first feature film I lost my body won a series of prestigious prizes (Grand Prix de la Semaine de la critique 2019, Cristal d’Annecy 2019, and two Cesar Awards in 2020, including best animated film), up to his recent Oscar nomination.

A filmmaker of creative documentaries and a regular at international festivals, Alice Diop received the Cesar Award for best short film in 2017 for Vers la tendresse and the Grand Prix du Cinema du Reel for her feature film La Permanence. She is currently finalizing her new documentary, NOUS, and is also working on a fiction project.

A musician, composer, performer, author, and a pioneer of electro music who is recognized worldwide for his innovative and technological approach to music and staging, Jean-Michel Jarre gave a live VR concert on June 21 entitled Alone Together (produced by VRrOOm for the Ministry of Culture) in which he appeared as an avatar

A leading actress belonging to the young generation of French independent cinema and arthouse films (The Rendez-Vous of Déjà-Vu, The Wild Boys …), Vimala Pons is also a stage performer. GRANDE – a circus-music hall show that she created with Tsirihaka Harrivel – has achieved unanimous public and critical success. We will see her soon alongside Pio Marmaï in Douglas Attal’s film, How I became a superhero.

The selection of 16 immersive experiences, which are presented as part of the XR Competition and submitted for their assessment, includes several world premieres. It offers an exceptional digest of the diversity of genres and innovative writing formats, both in virtual reality (13 works in VR) and in augmented reality (3 works in AR), a new section of the competition.

On Friday September 25 (6 p.m.), at the end of the industry days, the NewImages Festival jury will award the Golden Mask (Grand Prize, € 6,000) and the two Special Jury Prizes (for VR and AR, € 3,000 each).

Since its inception, the NewImages Festival has been concerned with parity and is engaged this year alongside the 50/50 Collective. The collective charter for equality and diversity in the cultural industry will be signed during the award ceremony.

From September 23 to 27, NewImages Festival brings together all curious and informed audiences to discover the best of virtuality both face-to-face and online!

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