Taiwan XR film wins first prize at Paris NewImages Festival

Paris, April 27 (CNA) "Traversing the Mist," an extended reality (XR) film by Taiwanese director Chou Tung-yen (周東彥), beat 13 shortlisted contestants to take the top prize at the NewImages Festival in Paris on Friday.

The immersive work incorporates 6DoF technology, which refers to six degrees of movement, creating hybrid narratives and novel experiences, according to the festival website.

The 14-minute film features a surreal gay sauna, as a means of exploring the unspeakable life experience of the gay community culture, according to the Taiwanese film producers, Very Theatre and Very Mainstream Studio.

At the award ceremony in Paris on Friday, Chou expressed appreciation for Taiwan's creative environment and the government's enduring support for marginalized and underground gay themes.

Explaining the artistic concepts of the project, he said the aim of the film is to share with the audience the experience of longing and searching.

That experience "can be colorful, dazzling, or it can be disappointing," he said. "Various emotions may be found within one's own heart."

The NewImages Festival, which is being held April 24-28, was launched in 2018, featuring cinema, digital creation and XR works.

"Traversing the Mist" has been shortlisted for the Cannes inaugural Immersive Competition that will be held in May.