This competition showcases the most innovative immersive creations from around the world. For over 25 years, Laval Virtual has been fostering innovation and highlighting XR talent on an international scale.
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Let the forest in – and Bloom! Collaborative experience for 6 viewers on line
Immersive and Interactive Virtual Reality (VR) Experience – 30′ – 2025
Creation : Fabienne Giezendanner
Co-production: Nadasdy films (Switzerland)
Support: Pictanovo
Distribution: Diversion XRSynopsis
Inspired by the research of Ernst Zürcher on the intelligence of trees, this experience offers a sensory and poetic immersion, without dialogue, blending animation and binaural sound. The experience explores our intimate bond with nature and trees.
Let the forest in — and bloom! is a collaborative extension of Bloom, in which participants are invited to co-create the experience through shared gestures, combining music and light design. As in the original version, participants are immersed in a narrative that addresses ecological issues — particularly the importance of recognizing trees as vital elements of our ecosystem.
Participants embark on a sensory journey where they interact with an oak tree, discover the phenomenon of evapotranspiration in trees, and take part in invoking rain through the power of the forest. The experience concludes with their transformation into blossoming trees — a metaphor for their commitment and collaboration.
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Agouro – Animated short film
Traditional animation short film, oil painting and digital – 15 min
Director and screenplay: David Doutel, Vasco Sá
Co-production: Bando à Parte (Portugal)
Support: Instituto do Cinema e do Audiovisual (ICA), Ciclic, Pictanovo, CNC – production supportSynopsis
In the middle of winter, a frozen river runs alongside the house where two cousins live. On that day, the rising cold wind will put the growing harshness of their relationship to the test.
Festivals and awards
19 awards and 129 international selections, including the Grand Prix at the Busan International Short Film Festival (Korea), Best Art Direction at Anima Mundi (Brazil), and Best Animation Award at the Tehran International Short Film Festival (Iran).
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Gamine – Fiction short film
short film – 17 min – 2022
Director: Nils Hamelin
Screenplay: Nils Hamelin and Suäéna Airault
Support: Pictanovo (production support) and Le Fresnoy – National Studio for Contemporary ArtsSynopsis
Mary, a teenager in search of new experiences, lives alone with her mother. Fascinated by a boy of captivating beauty she glimpses through a bus window, she gives herself to him without restraint. But will this impulse remain without consequence?
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Skyscraper – 2D/3D animated short film
2D/3D animated short film – 13 min – 2017
Director: Fabienne Giezendanner
Screenplay: Fabienne Giezendanner, Albertine, and Germano Zullo
Co-production: Nadasdy Films (Switzerland)
Support: Pictanovo (production and music support), Swiss Federal Office of Culture, Cinéforom, Loterie Romande, RTS, Arenberg Creative Mine, MIGROS Pour-cent culturel
Based on: the book by Albertine and Germano ZulloSynopsis
Strange objects rise into the sky: a sculpted staircase inlaid with diamonds, a golden dome, a wave pool… Two billionaires, Agenor-Agobar Poirier des Chapelles and Willigis Kittycly Junior, compete to build the tallest and most luxurious skyscraper. How far will they go?
Festivals and awards
Over 70 selections in international festivals between 2017 and 2019, including Bristol Encounters (UK), Seoul International Youth Film Festival (Korea), Cairo International Animation Forum (Egypt) – Best Political Satire Award at the Honor Film Festival in New York.
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The Little Guy on the Roof – Short fiction film
Short film – 20 min – 2022
Director: David Grondin
Co-production: Ishot Films
Support: Pictanovo (production support), Le Fresnoy – National Studio for Contemporary ArtsSynopsis
Jordan, a young boy with a physical disability, shares his despair on social media. His video goes viral, turning him into an internet star. This sudden and unhealthy fame shakes those around him: Bernard, his grandfather, discovers his late wife’s posthumous infidelity; Eli tries to help his friend Jean-Baptiste win back Rose, under the gaze of Claire, a food-porn enthusiast, the irascible Pauline, and the rapper Propal.
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Manolo – Animated short film
Animated fiction combining live action and stop motion – 12 min – 2019
Director and screenplay: Abel Ringot
Co-production: Zéro de Conduite Productions, Cellofan, Canopée, Académie de Lille, Caméra Etc. (Belgium)
Support: PictanovoSynopsis
A new paper puppet, Manolo, is born from the hands of Alice, an animation filmmaker. Manolo comes to life and cheerfully decides to embark on his own cinematic adventure in tandem with his creator.
Festivals et récompenses
33 international festivals, including: Grand Prix – Animagê (Brazil), Honorable Mention – KuanDog Prize (Taiwan), Audience Award and Grand Prix for Digital Creation (Challenge Jeunes Talents – Kinepolis de Lomme).
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Listen Papa ! – Animated short film
Traditional and digital animated short film – 11 min – 2019
Director and screenplay: Olga and Tatiana Poliektova
Co-production: Fidélité (Germany), Aquarium Film (Russia)
Support: Pictanovo (production support) and Le Fresnoy – National Studio for Contemporary ArtsSynopsis
A letter of love and hate from a son to his father, in which he finally says everything that had never been expressed.
Festivals and awards
80 festival selections, including Giffoni Film Festival (Italy), Anima Mundi (Brazil), New Zealand International Film Festival, Animest (Romania), Cinekid (Netherlands), etc.
Special Jury Mention – Lucania Film Festival (Italy), Tonino Guerra Prize – Krok International Animation Festival (Russia).Teaser
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Find Me in Kakuma – Web-Doc
Web-documentary – 60 mn – 2017
Directors: Lieven Courthouts, Fabienne Giezendanner
Design: Aline Mathy
Co-production: Cassette for Timescapes (Belgium), Zéro de Conduite
Support: Pictanovo – Interactive Experiences, Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Belgian Development Cooperation, CNC – New Media
Broadcasters: Canvas.be, Le Soir, Rue 89 MarketSynopsis
In Kakuma, one of the largest refugee camps in the Horn of Africa, many children and teenagers have lost all contact with their families because of conflict. How can they be found? And how can time be filled? This interactive and creative project explores the living conditions of unaccompanied young refugees, without reducing them to the role of mere victims.
Sélections
Vision du Réel 2015 (I-Doc), Sheffield Doc/Fest, Sunny Side of the Doc, Power to the Pixel, etc.
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Dwarf-Giant – 2D animated short film
2D animated short film – 12 min – 2014
Director and screenplay: Fabienne Giezendanner, Graphic design: Albertine Zullo
Co-production: Louise Productions (Switzerland)
Support: Pictanovo (production support), Swiss Federal Office of Culture, Cinéforom, Loterie Romande, RTS.Synopsis
Little Snow, a young Inuit girl, must catch a bird in order to enter the world of adults. Just as she touches the bird, she tumbles into a strange and unsettling fjord, where she meets the Giant Dwarf—an ogre capable of changing size at will with a single sneeze. A coming-of-age tale for both children and adults.
Festivals & awards
80 festival selections, including a World Premiere at the 2014 Berlinale (Generation section), Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival (2015), Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film – ITFS (2015), Cinanima (Portugal, 2014), Uppsala International Short Film Festival (Sweden), Sapporo Short Fest (Japan), Hiroshima International Animation Festival, SICAF (Korea, 2014), Anima Mundi (Brazil, 2014), Palm Springs International ShortFest (USA), and Cinema Mundi (Brazil). Awards include: 2nd Prize Animation Short at Palm Springs International ShortFest, Best Animated Film at the Oregon Independent Film Festival, and Children’s Film Special Mention at the Varna Film Festival.
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