News culture After 8 years of hard work, this virtual reality war film is finally coming to cinemas. It represents France at this major festival
Between the end of August and the first third of September, the heart of the city of Venice beats to the rhythm of cinema thanks to its international festival, the famous Mostra. During this prestigious event, numerous audiovisual creations are in the spotlight. Today it is a very special category that interests us, as there is a French virtual reality project that immerses us in the heart of the horrors of the 14-18 war.
This film takes us into the middle of the war between 14 and 18… in virtual reality!
But this information may only appeal to the most film fans among you Did you know that the Venice Film Festival has a section dedicated to immersive works? ? In this field, too, augmented reality works may be awarded, as the festival mentions. In this 81st edition, a French film was able to stand out and win one of the three prizes of this exceptional competition: We refer here to the film Battlefield (Battlefield) by François Vautier.
In many ways, François Vautier’s film is very special because it is a film … in virtual reality ! In order to realize this project and present an impressive result, the filming was carried out with live photography and required no less than Eight long years of work. With BattlefieldFrançois Vautier’s aim is to immerse us in various ways (visual and acoustic) in the horror of the trenches during the 1914-1918 war. The co-curator of the Venice Immersive selection speaks of a work “ extraordinary and visceral ».
Virtual reality is no longer just a topic in cinema, it is now a tool!
In recent years, the world of cinema has developed great interest in technological advances, especially virtual reality. It is a theme that we find centrally or in the background in a whole series of successful productions. We can particularly cite Ready Player One, Tron, Total Recall or matrixHowever, there are few creations that have made it more of a tool than a subject, and that is why François Vautier’s short film can be a small revolution, all the more because it tries to represent a time that is part of the duty of memory. Below you will find the synopsis of the film :
They called me to the 3rd North Trench. A line to repair. Hurry up! It’s jumping everywhere. Dog weather, Captain. I can’t hear much anymore anyway. Ears hit by a shell. This war is not my luck. I’m 20 years old and I don’t even have a gun.
The earth carries within it all the memory of men. When they suffer, their pain and torment always come to the surface. In 1916, the fields of Verdun were the scene of unprecedented cruelty. Injured bodies, mutilated landscapes, a sky darkened by despair… In this setting, a soldier, Julien, lives through this dark period, leaving his youth and his happiness behind. He and the nature that surrounds him are forever united in a common destiny.
