Hello everyone! The Venice International Film Festival is looking for VRChat submissions for their Venice Immersive category! The following is an FAQ developed by the Venice International Film Festival to help answer your questions about what the festival is and how to submit.
If anyone has additional questions, feel free to ask and we will update the FAQ/respond when we can.
The 81st Venice International Film Festival is organized by La Biennale di Venezia and will be held on the Lido di Venezia from 28 August to 7 September 2024
What is the Venice International Film Festival?
- An annual film festival held in Venice, Italy
- The world’s oldest running Film festival and one of the most prestigious
- 2024 will be the 81st edition of the festival
- Venice is the launch pad for awards-courting films with films like Dune, Joker, La La Land, Birdman, Spotlight, The Shape of Water, Roma, A Star Is Born, Nomadland, The Banshees of Inisherin, and Tár premiering there.
What is Venice Immersive?
- Venice Immersive is the XR competitive section of the Venice International Film Festival
- It exhibits works across all forms of immersive art including AR, VR, installations and virtual worlds
- 2024 will be the 8th edition
- In 2023 a total of 67 works were displayed including 26 VRChat worlds
How do I Apply?
Worlds are displayed in x2 sections
In Competition
- Worlds selected for the competition are eligible for one of the three prestigious awards and laurels
- All works in competition must be a world premiere
- This means worlds cannot have been published before the festival opening date of August 28, 2024
- All major film festivals have a submission fee, ours:
- Early submission (before May 1st) €200,
- Late Submission (May 1-15) €250
- Submission form (click English tab)
- Deadline 15th May 2024
The Worlds Gallery
- Worlds selected for the Worlds Gallery are awarded festival laurels but are not eligible for awards
- Usually between 20-30 worlds are selected for display in the Worlds Gallery
- Open to all worlds released since the last festival (since 28th August 2023)
- Use this form to highlight worlds you think should be reviewed for inclusion
What are the In Competition awards for Venice Immersive?
Think of these as gold, silver, bronze
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- VENICE IMMERSIVE GRAND PRIZE
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- VENICE IMMERSIVE SPECIAL JURY PRIZE
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- VENICE IMMERSIVE ACHIEVEMENT PRIZE
VENICE IMMERSIVE GRAND PRIZE 2023
SONGS FOR A PASSERBY by CELINE DAEMEN (Netherlands)
- These awards are presented at the same event and on the same stage as Best Film, Best Director etc.
- Creators with work In Competition will get the chance to walk the red carpet
- See a list of all the awards from the 2023 edition of the festival here
What are Laurels
- An internationally recognised mark of prestige often seen on film posters
Who chooses which worlds get selected?
- Alberto Barbera, Artistic Director of the Venice International Film Festival, supported by Liz Rosenthal and Michel Reilhac experts and consultants Venice Immersive section.
- They view all submissions and decide which titles are selected to be In Competition and the Worlds Gallery
- Michael Salmon aka Manglebird scouts for worlds to be included in the Worlds Gallery
- Use this form to highlight worlds you think should be reviewed for inclusion
What are the curators looking for in a submission?
- There are no hard and fast rules, previous worlds selected have represented a broad spectrum of creative talent from narrative games like the Devouring, particle live shows, photogrammetry scans, artistic shader experiences and interesting club worlds
- Worlds need to spark interest, they need to be a memorable moment on one of our world hops and have some artistic excitement.
- Straight-up hangout worlds rarely make it
- Games without some sort of narrative rarely make it
Has a VRChat world ever won an award?
- Yes
- In 2020 the immersive theatre production Finding Pandora X won an award
How will my work be displayed at the festival?
- We take great care with the display of virtual worlds at Venice Immersive
- We create a series of world hops which are led by members of the VRChat community
- Attendees of the festival book a slot to join World Hop, are helped into VR by our team of assistants in Venice and are met by a tour guide who helps with the controls and taken on a tour.
- In 2022 there were 18 VR stations set up at the festival
- Below are images of the team helping in VRChat and those in the real world in Venice
How will I know if my world has been selected?
- Those who have been selected will be notified by July 1st 2024
Can I see which VRC worlds were selected in previous years?
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Yes, we have hub worlds for the last x3 years
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2023 (VRC worlds in the gallery downstairs in the centre of the world)
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2022 (VRC worlds in the gallery downstairs in the centre of the world)
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2021 (VRC worlds behind the doorways in the city)
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Video from previous years
Do I need to use my IRL identity when submitting?
- No
- Here is the official catalogue featuring nprowler from 2023, an avatar among the film-makers
Do I have to attend the festival?
- No, although we love to meet the creators of the work displayed at the festival you do not have to join us in Venice to have your work exhibited
Is there any financial support for attending the festival?
- If you submit and are selected for the competition hotel accommodation and a festival pass are supplied by the festival organisers.
- There is no support available for titles selected to exhibit in the Worlds Gallery
- FYI: In countries and regions that have government support for film and the arts there are grants for filmmakers and artists to attend key festivals like Venice.
Who attends the festival?
- An international mixture of the best XR professionals and enthusiasts, artists, creators, funders, industry professionals and press. Venice Film Festival attracts top-tier film directors, actors, writers, producers and film industry professionals.
- Kent Bye is a regular fixture and records Voices of VR podcasts with all the creators with work In Competition
Do I get to walk the red carpet?
- Yes, if your work is selected to be In Competition and you attend the festival
Who runs the Venice International Film Festival?
- Alberto Barbera is the Artistic Director of the Venice International Film Festival, La Biennale di Venezia (Venice Biennale ) runs and produces the Festival. La Biennale di Venezia also runs exhibitions such as the Art Biennale the Architecture Biennale and, the Theatre, Music, and Dance. International Festivals.
Where exactly is the festival held?
- The festival takes place on the Lido Venice Italy
- The Venice Immersive section of the Festival takes place on a small island right off the Lido island , in the heart of the festival called Lazzaretto Vecchio known as “The Immersive Island”
- The island has a fascinating history
Meet The Curators
- Liz Rosenthal and Michel Reilhac will be available to meet and chat with interested world builders inside VRChat on
- March 21 between 07.00 pm and 09.00 pm CET (US-friendly timing)
- April 19 between 11.00 am and 01.00 pm CET (Asia-friendly timing)
Why should I care?
Break out beyond the community you are in. Find inspiration from the international community and press that attends the festival. Be recognized as an artist leading the way into a whole new way of telling stories through world-building.
Venice Immersive strongly believes and supports the idea that world-building is an art form in itself and the cutting edge of building immersive experiences today
What can it do for me and those who follow what I do?
It will bring a significant leap in the quality and size of attention you will get from an art-minded crowd of international professionals and from immersive arts and film enthusiasts. It will boost your reputation and other invitations to be featured in additional international events and foster potential new collaborations and networking with like-minded world builders.
Is VRChat supporting the festival? If yes why?
Yes, VRChat supports the festival by promoting it to its own world builders community because it has been involved with Venice Immersive since the beginning of the Worlds Gallery in its selection 3 years ago. It recognizes the impact that it has in the immersive industry and the very high international quality and care of the event.