– Eight XR, VR and mixed-reality works will headline the initiative, reinforcing the market’s ambition to position immersive storytelling alongside film, television and cross-platform IP
Tartupaluk by Laakkuluk Williamson
TIFF: The Market has unveiled the first eight projects selected for its inaugural Innovation Hub, a new programme dedicated to XR, VR and mixed-reality experiences that will form part of the market’s debut edition, running from 10-16 September in Toronto. Presented by the Canada Media Fund, the initiative expands the scope of the newly launched marketplace beyond traditional film and television, highlighting immersive storytelling and emerging technologies as increasingly important components of the global screen industries.
The curated selection comprises eight projects from Canada, France, Denmark, the USA, Germany, Belgium, Taiwan, Greenland and the Netherlands. Chosen by a nine-member selection committee, the line-up features a mix of world, international, North American and Canadian premieres, reflecting the organisers’ aim of showcasing innovative works across a range of immersive formats and production approaches.
The selected projects include the world premieres of Mekwâc: “Now Is Good”, a 360° interactive and immersive projection exploring Indigenous culture by Quantum Wampum and James Monkman Studio (Canada); Tartupaluk, a VR experience by Greenlandic-Canadian artist Laakkuluk Williamson, set on a small Arctic island and produced by Scintilla, Nation of Lovers Productions and Ánorâk Film (Canada/Greenland/Denmark); and The Big Picture – “Lunch Atop A Skyscraper”, a VR experience by French filmmaker Chloé Rochereuil, produced by TARGO (France).
The programme also features the international premiere of the free-roam VR experience Interstellar Arc, by Félix Lajeunesse and Paul Raphaël (Felix & Paul Studios, Canada). Canadian premieres include the VR experience Lesbian Simulator, directed by Iris Van der Meule and produced by Studio Biarritz – art et essai, Timescapes and Podium Biarritz (Netherlands/Canada/Belgium); the AI glasses experience Body Proxy, produced by Tender Claws (USA); and the large-scale free-roam VR experience The Clouds Are Two Thousand Meters Up, directed by Taiwanese filmmaker Singing Chen (Taiwan/Germany). Completing the line-up is Solwata, a mixed-reality installation by Felix Gaedtke and Gayatri Parameswaran, produced by Human Rights Watch, NowHere Media and Agog (USA), which will receive its North American premiere.
The Innovation Hub will be located on the 200 level of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre and will remain accessible to accredited delegates throughout the seven-day market. In addition to the installations, the programme will include a series of Speakers’ Summit Talks, featuring participating creators discussing the creative and technical processes behind their projects, as well as panel discussions examining the opportunities presented by adapting intellectual property across multiple formats and platforms.
Commenting on the announcement, Charles Tremblay, head of TIFF: The Market, said: “The Innovation Hub reflects where our industry is headed, bringing together visionary creators, breakthrough technologies and new approaches to storytelling that are redefining how content is developed, produced and experienced. For buyers, it’s a prime opportunity to discover pioneering projects that transcend formats and borders while delivering the high entertainment value audiences are seeking.”
The announcement further reinforces TIFF: The Market’s strategy of positioning itself as a multidisciplinary industry platform encompassing film, television, immersive content and intellectual property. Last month, the organisers confirmed that more than 130 buyers from 49 countries had already committed to attending the inaugural edition (see the news), signalling strong international interest in the market’s ambition to become a new North American hub for acquisitions, financing and cross-platform business.
