JEDDAH: Red Sea Immersive, the exciting programming strand of the Red Sea International Film Festival, on Thursday announced its 21-strong program of virtual reality experiences, which will run from Dec. 7-15 at Jeddah’s new creative complex, Hayy Jameel.

Presented in collaboration with Art Jameel, the program will introduce era-defining immersive storytelling experiences to audiences in Jeddah, while also serving as an inspiration and catalyst to future immersive content creators and studios from the region.

Thirteen of the most significant VR works produced in 2021 will be presented in competition for the Golden Yusr Immersive Award, which will include a cash prize of $10,000 with eight projects presented out-of-competition. The program is curated by Liz Rosenthal, curator of Venice VR at the Venice International Film Festival.

Immersive will be adjudicated by an all-female jury of three leading international artists. The jury will be presided over by pioneering American avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson, who will be joined by British Academy of Film and Television Arts-winning director Victoria Mapplebeck and Sarah Mohanna Al-Abdali, one of the first Saudi Arabian street artists.

“There is something truly special about the experiences in Red Sea Immersive,” Edouard Waintrop, artistic director of the Red Sea International Film Festival, said.

“It is an art that is so complimentary of the main festival program but also stands independently as a ground-breaking and boundary-pushing selection of work. It is an honor to be able to host this curation and we are excited to see the lasting impact that Red Sea Immersive has on the Saudi art, film, and technology industries.”

Liz Rosenthal, the curator of Red Sea Immersive, said: “The selection in Red Sea Immersive is truly one of the most exciting presentations of virtual experiences to have graced the festival circuit to date. To have this presentation in such a dynamic new venue such as the Hayy Jameel, and in Saudi Arabia where there is such a burgeoning, young art scene, is such an exciting frontier for this genre of work. I am also excited to see the impact this has on the wider VR industry, especially in the Arab region.”

The 13 incredible experiences being presented in the competition are Anandala, End of Night, Genesis, Glimpse, Goliath: Playing with Reality, Kusunda, Laika, Lavrynthos, Le Bal De Paris De Blanca Li, Marco & Polo Go Round, Reeducated, Samsara (Lun Hui) and The Sick Rose.

The Book of Distance, Hangman At Home, Mare, Maskmaker, Paperbirds 1 & 2, Replacements (Penggantian), We Live Here and VRChat Worlds Collection are the eight experiences that will be presented out-of-competition, as part of Red Sea Immersive.

The inaugural edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival will run in Jeddah from Dec. 6-15.