This year I was selected to be part of the first edition of Cannes Curators Network, among the 30 international participants of the Entertainment track, representing Romania’s immersive artistry. Among multiple daily pre-programmed meetings and roundtables, I had the immense opportunity to attend the Cannes Innovation Spotlight panels. I’ll share below what stayed with me in terms of vision or game-changing attitude, hoping it will inspire readers to come up with their own personal angles on today’s news.
On the 16th of May 2025 “The Creative Lens: GenAI's Evolving Role in Cinema Across Continents & Festivals” took place. The panel featured three international guests, moderated by charismatic AC Coppens, who launched a series of questions that I found provocative such as: how to use AI without losing your voice? How to reshape the medium with the biggest impact? All these thought-provoking questions are surrounding the entire AV industry, along with many more. The AI’s impact is not constant and its both evolving and revolutionary natures are inviting us to question also the revised values of storytelling. How do we want to explore human stories on the short, medium and long term?
Matthieu Lorrain, Creative Lead at Google DeepMind was one of the guests and his approach seems to be towards shaping AI in more poignant human terms:
- In his view, 2024 was for hyper-realist models, while 2025 is for control, inviting us to believe there is an encouraged space for creators to be faithful to their original IP.
- AI is seen as “a tool that quickly becomes a collaborator”. And in fact, Lorrain believes that in the future we will have multiple AI collaborators to augment aspects of our lives.
- In his view, our relationship with an AI-fueled tool is not only obedience-based, but rather he invites us to ask the AI to critique or to augment a certain idea.
- In this Era of emerging practices, there is an institutional need to support or transparentize “foundational knowledge on AI”.
- One solid point highlighted by Lorrain is “AI is an augmentation tool”, however this implies we have enough substance to augment.
- Additionally, he stated that all these AI-inspired technologies are perhaps even more appropriate for countries “that always had good stories to tell, but had no resources”.
- In his view, we are inhabiting a new form of “Renaissance”, one in which “stories, films are becoming liquid”, which makes me link it with my own PhD thesis focussing on “infinite cinema”.
- Finally, the inspiring note is “The only constant is story.”, empowering storytellers to advance their original craft.
Max Wiedemann, Head of AI at Mediawan Group, highly experienced producer with a trailblazing portfolio in film and series, shared his view on the AI “wave”:
- In his view the term AI turned to be over-general, being “broad like the Internet or electricity”. Indeed what do we mean by AI? Machine learning?
- His current goal is obtaining consistency with AI.
- In a profoundly technologized time, he believes a director that has taste is even more important than before.
- Regarding the upskilling of employees in order to navigate a time of transformation, Wiedemann shared one of his contemporary proverbs: “the wave is coming, give yourself boards and learn how to surf”.
Christina Lee Storm, Co-Founder PLAYBOOK, brings an American angle into the conversation:
- In her view, schools may opt to teach the fundamentals and to facilitate a better learning curve.
- AI is desirable, however not any AI. The needs of the industry require: clean models and high bar of quality along with a payment system for creatives involved.
- Her curiosity is “where is everyone seating in the adoption curve?” How can we map the contemporary AI landscape with more care to detail?
- In her view, we live in a time when even archives can be re-created with AI and more as a joke, would hope for creators to come up with more than cyberpunk when involving new tech.
On the 16th of May, a delight of the day was “Immersive Experiences and Cultural Venues: from Spectacle to Engagement & Belonging” a panel moderated by Mathieu Gayet.
Natasha Greenhalgh, Co-Founder & Creative Director, Nxt Museum advocates for immersive projects that have a critical nature:
- In her view the term “immersive” has become too general and it can be understood in different ways. In fact, we may have to simplify it.
- As a central focus of the Nxt Museum, the founders love “works that have a question” at heart.
Daehyung Lee, Curator, Hzone shared a Korean perspective with universal values:
- In his view, VR is at times “flattening the meaning” and we need “space for meditation”
- There is a superpower that remains inspirational and long-lasting, the IP power, regardless of the used technology.
Fabien Siouffi, Senior Director, Immersive Entertainment, Behaviour Interactive contemplated on the behavioral shift of audiences:
- Especially after the intense pandemic time, “connecting with people is precious”.
- With regards to technology, “interaction needs to be meaningful”.
- Finally, as we analyze multiple generations and their patterns, too many people were raised on highly interactive content and therefore the expectation is having an incredible growing curve.
On the 17th of May, we gratefully took part in “The Rise of LBE in Luxembourg, Between Creative Expertise and Distribution”, a panel moderated by Mathieu Gayet.
Can Florian Ahegger, Director Immersive Exhibition Space GIOLABS Luxembourg, announced the release of a new immersive space that promises to blend entertainment, gastronomy and shopping:
- A multitude of immersive spaces hosting 8 000 000 pixels awaits for creations to enchant Luxembourguese audiences.
Julien Becker, Producer, Director, Skill Lab shared a view on the blended portfolio of VR and LBE:
- LBE VR is gradually growing and one of the upcoming experiences is focussing on the construction of Tour Eiffel.
Marion Guth, Producer, CEO a_BAHN showcased “Ceci est mon coeur” in Cannes Immersive, the Luxembourg Focus and mentioned:
- One of the milestones for her team was how to use known tech in a way that no one heard before.
- Among the questions of the immersive industry creators, a distribution curiosity keeps popping: “How do people come back?” Perhaps it’s time to think of sustainable manners for immersive.
On the 18th of May, we attended “When the Culinary Experience Unfolds Within a Narrative Concept”, moderated by Anne McKinnon.
Nina Albani, Founder, CEO of THE LUX by Fantasium Senses shared her perspective from Singapore:
- The Lux is Singapore’s sensorial space blends art, film, gastronomy with inspiring results in activating local communities.
- United Nations began to acknowledge immersive entertainment and this allows the industry to prosper.
Stephan Bernardes, Producer, Arkanum pictures
- Mentioned the transformation of Babelsberg as one of the oldest film playgrounds in Europe and its transition towards immersive-friendly, virtual production experiences.
Neil Carty, Vice President, Head of Cosm Studios & Labs revealed a new model of spherical entertainment:
- “If you’re already building for a spherical canvas, it brings audiences.” and he supports his own belief with numbers as Cosm reunites 25 mil spectators annually.
- In his view, audiences are looking for “deep emotional connection” more than before and therefore the stories we depict may facilitate this desire exponentially more.
Overall, this edition felt very transdisciplinary, reuniting film, tech, immersive, video game companies in collective roundtables and brainstormings.
What can we learn from this:
- We do inhabit a highly provocative revolution that is both technological and creative.
- There is a growing infrastructure of immersive media.
- As production gets democratized, smaller groups and countries seem to gain advantage.
The Cannes Innovation Spotlight included numerous other series of events that will be gradually depicted in a further report.
