Cinema Virtual Reality Experience (VRE) is spreading over 1500m² of exhibition space to present the best Cinema VRE on booths, 25+ VR market screenings curated by specialists from around the world and 3 different set-ups of VR Libraries. There are more than 150 VR films to experience this year at NEXT in different scenography with various technologies.

Thus, the revolution is not only virtual, it is also digital. Blockchain is entering the film business and NEXT is inaugurating a Blockchain Corner (from Tuesday, May 8 to Thursday, May 17) with adventurous new business models using the blockchain technology for financing and distributing films. There will be a series of high level conferences to help us all understand better how blockchain is becoming the new opportunity for the film business.

Blockchain Corner (Palais -1, Aisle 18)

The Blockchain Corner will host six major companies: Cinezen Blockchained Entertainment (Sweden), Cinemarket (USA), SingularDTV (USA), Gaze Coin (Australia), TVZVAR Development (Russia) and Cinemawell.com (Ukraine-USA).

« Blockchain is a new transparent and reliable way to identify and track transactions in the whole chain of value of the film industry » said Jérôme Paillard, Executive Director. « I’m convinced it will play a strong role in the coming years facilitating financing and distribution of films.»

A series of conferences will help understand better what is The Future of Cinema and TV on Blockchain (presented by Cinemawell on Tuesday, May 8 at 3pm), how it can produce Blockchain Blockbusters (presented by SingularDTV on Wednesday, May 9 at 11am) and what is The Blockchain Revolution in VOD (presented by Cinezen on Thursday, May 10 at 3pm), or How will it change Sales, Distribution and Funding (presented by Göteborg Film Festival on Friday, May 11 at 10am), amongst others.

Closing Keynote will be given by Eric Peters, senior adviser at the Cabinet of Mariya Gabriel, the European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society. Mr. Peters will notably discuss what is the European Blockchain Partnership, signed last month by 22 countries, and how he sees the opportunities for the film industry.

Cinema VRE (Palais -1, Aisle 14)

More than 150 virtual reality experiences will be showcased at NEXT and available on various technologies showing the fast and exciting growth of the cinema VRE industry.

« The number of VR experiences has doubled from last year at NEXT and big players are exhibiting such as HP, INTEL Corporation, With.in, Baobab Studios, Positron, Fable Studio, MK2VR, Orange, Nozon and Penrose Studios, amongst others. It definitely looks like virtual reality is now part of the film industry with US studios including VR tie-ins in their marketing strategies, » added  Julie Bergeron, Head of Industry Programs. « Interesting also is the evolution of the technologies to exhibit VR. We will display at NEXT different scenography to experiment VR in various ways.»

NEXT promises some excitement with:

• HP is presenting Chorus, a Within Original production, with Music by Justice, on the new MK2’s VR Pods and also the first ever VR experience made with images shot in space by ESA Astronaut Thomas Pesquet: Being An Astronaut (Part 1 & Part 2).
• INTEL Corporation brings to Cannes Save Every Breathe: The Dunkirk VR Experience and Prelude to Le Musk VRE motion encoded in the Positron’s Voyager™ chairs.
• Geneva International Film Festival – GIFF brings to Cannes Elastic Time a mixed reality interactive documentary about space-time narrated by astronomer Tony Stark. Also, they will exhibit on their booth, the Limbic Chair, a first of its kind chair combining neuroscience-based research and ergonomic design.

For the VR Market Screenings, NEXT partnered with curators from all over the world including to name a few:

• The Tribeca Film Festival is presenting a selection from its 2018 edition which has just wrapped in NYC: “Best of Tribeca 360 @ NEXT” with 2:09 by Svante FJAESTAD, Into the Now by Michael MULLER, Meeting a Monster by Gabriela ARP, The Caretaker by Jacob Wasserman, Nicholas
• VrRoom is presenting many VR experiences on its booth and in market screenings including Master of the Sun directed by will.i.am, Pasha Shapiro and Ernst Weber and produced by the Black Eyed Peas.
• Virtuality and Trends joined forces to present a Best Of selection of Latin American Cinema 360 including Campfire Creepers: Midnight March directed by Alexandre Aja.

All VR films are available for viewing in the NEXT’s VR Libraries which are powered by 3 different companies this year: Diversion Cinema using mobile technology, DDD60 offering a server based high quality VR library and VR Connection with Hestia, a plug and play all-in-one-solution for VR location-based distribution.

Full program of NEXT 2018 here.

The Marché du Film – Festival de Cannes will take place from Tuesday, May 8 to Thursday, May 17, 2018.