Annecy And MIFA Will Host A New VR And Games Showcase At This Year’s Festival

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival and MIFA Market are launching a new showcase dedicated to video games and immersive experiences.

Set up adjacent to the Impérial Palace, the longtime home of the MIFA Market, the new XR&Games Area will offer attendees the chance to experience the latest in video gaming and immersive experiences.

According to organizers:

The XR&Games Area aims to bring professionals from the animation and new image sectors together and act as a catalyst for innovation. In addition to a 200-seat amphitheater, the new venue will have four floors with showroom spaces, a chill-out and networking area, and more than 1,000m2 to host professionals and students.

In addition to the new showcase, Annecy and MIFA are teaming with Spain’s Weird Market to launch a new competition dedicated to video game cinematics and trailers. The field will be judged by a jury of industry professionals, with an award given to the year’s top submission.

The competition’s submission window is currently open to any frame-by-frame animated work, whatever the technique, created for a video game as a coherent, non-playable part of the game, such as an intro, cut scene, or promotional teaser. Only works completed between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023, qualify for this year’s field. Interested parties must submit their work here before March 31, 2024.

Other highlights of the XR&Games Area include:

Gaming Conferences, XR Conferences, and Demo Sessions

• The XR&Games Area will host a series of presentations offering attendees a behind-the-scenes look at immersive themes, experiences, and strategic visions of some of the top creators in the field today.

The Showroom

• Approximately 15 gaming studios will be invited to set up shop inside the showroom, where dozens of independent games will be demoed over four days. Studios interested in participating can find out more and reserve a spot here.

XR Works Exhibition

• This exhibition will host exclusive presentations of a selection of “unclassifiable immersive works and promising prototypes,” as well as a re-run of Annecy’s official VR Works competition lineup.

Mifa Pitches – Digital Experiences

• Like MIFA’s other popular pitching platforms, this event will give creators of projects at the writing or development stage an opportunity to woo potential financiers and production partners.

XR Work in Progress

• Work in progress sessions will be hosted by creators of XR experiences that are in production and nearly ready for release, giving attendees an early look at some of the most exciting upcoming titles.

Annecy 2024 will be held June 9-15, with MIFA running June 11-14.