Many VR and XR experiences stood out to us at 2025 Venice Immersive; here are all the Virtual and Mixed Reality projects we watched at Venezia 82!
One of the most interesting strands of the Venice Film Festival is Venice Immersive, which showcases a selection of VR and XR projects and other immersive installations. The 2025 program was fantastic, with 30 experiences in competition, 16 out of competition, and 23 worlds to explore. We watched a total of 13 works at Venice’s Lazzaretto Island this year, and most of them stood out to us for different reasons. Keep scrolling for our list of projects we watched at the 2025 Venice Film Festival – most in Virtual and Mixed Reality, one headset-free – in alphabetical order!
1968
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Creator: Rose Bond
Runtime: 9’
Type of experience: installation, virtual reality
One of my favorite Venice Immersive works at last year’s Venice Film Festival was Earths to Come, a multi-user experience where a few participants would sit under a dome and be told a story both visually and sonically. The dome in question was a geodesic dome: a spherical shell structure with spatialised sound from sixteen strategically placed speakers that provided a new level of immersion. Rose Bond‘s gorgeous hand-drawn sketches would come alive to a haunting soundscape made mostly of human sounds, which made for a uniquely visceral experience.
This year, the same team – producer Melanie Coombs, composer inti figgis-vizueta, art director Zak Margolis and spatial sound mixer Massimiliano Borghesi – returned to the festival with 1968, a project that takes place under that same dome but that sadly can’t replicate the same magic. What truly stands out about 1968 is, once again, its soundscape: you will absolutely get lost in it and you won’t even notice the passing of time. Yet visually, 1968‘s story doesn’t match up to the sound; the colorful shapes and creative movements of Earths to Come are replaced by more traditional, somewhat confused storytelling, and the result is a work where visuals and sound tell two completely different tales.
I would still recommend the experience for the stunning sonic landscape provided by the talented creatives who worked on this project, but the disconnect was so noticeable for me that I wasn’t able to pay attention to any of the drawings that showed up on the screen.
Ancestors
BEST OF EXPERIENCES – OUT OF COMPETITION
Creator: Steye Hallema
Runtime: 70′
Type of experience: Headset-free, installation, interactive
Ancestors‘ premise is very interesting. This installation, which makes no use of Virtual Reality, asks you to take a selfie and join a group of participants who will eventually become each other’s relatives through generations. It all takes place on your phone: the photo of a stranger appears, and you need to find another player whose phone shows the same picture.
You then discover that the stranger is yours and the other player’s child, and soon get another picture to go further back in the past with even more strangers in the room. 70 minutes later, you’ll come face to face with your great great grandparent, in a work that asks you to take a journey six generations into the future and think about our responsibility to the environment.
The part of the experience I liked the most was at the end: we were given the choice to either forgive or blame past generations for their choices, and then asked the same question in reverse, thinking of how our own choices will impact the future.
Though Ancestors doesn’t use any VR, it does utilize AI to create the pictures on our phones by blending the faces of the participants’ together, and this is where it could use some improvements. My own group was made of people from various backgrounds, yet we were mostly shown pictures of white, privileged young men and women who were supposed to be our relatives, and this made the overall message of Ancestors have less of an impact for me. It’s also a very long experience and it’s still a little glitchy, so I hope the creatives behind it develop it further, as the concept as its core is worth exploring.
Asteroid
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Directors: Doug Liman, Julina Tatlock, Jed Weintrob
Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Ron Perlman, Rhenzy Feliz, DK Metcalf, Freida Pinto, Leon Mandel
Runtime: 30′
Type of experience: 180° short film, XR, interactive
Asteroid‘s plot is very straightforward: a group of strangers take a rocket to mine an asteroid, but something goes wrong and only one of them (Hailee Steinfeld) returns home. The short film jumps back and forth between Steinfeld’s character’s interrogation and her memories of her trip to space, giving us more pieces of the puzzle as the story goes on. This part of the experience is filmed, so it didn’t really need to be told in VR, but I appreciated little touches that still made it worth it.
There’s a scene where Steinfeld’s character is being interrogated and we think she’s in a chair, but then we look up at the ceiling and see a person shouting at her from behind a door, which makes us realize she’s actually lying down, and we’re watching from above. It’s subtle, but it’s a nice way to play with perspectives that could only have been done with VR.
Asteroid is the first film made for Google’s new Android XR platform and headset, which I enjoyed. I am not an expert on VR headsets, as I only get to experience these works at festivals, but I liked the feel of it and the joystick-free way you navigate the story, which is similar to Apple Vision Pro’s.
Story-wise, you won’t find huge twists in this XR thriller: in fact, we don’t even know who these characters are. Still, it’s an enjoyable enough film that was never boring for me, and it’s also stunning, especially in the parts in space. It’s a pity that it was shot as a 180° experience, as being able to see space all around you would have made the view of space more impressive.
At the end of Asteroid, there’s an interactive part that uses AI to get you to help rescue another astronaut in space, which I enjoyed. I got really immersed in this section – much more than the other part of the experience involving AI, which sees you communicate with an AI-generated version of NFL player DK Metcalf. Asteroid is not without flaws, but as the first project made on Google’s XR platform, it’s a good start and it’s worth the watch.
Blur
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Creators: Craig Quintero & Phoebe Greenberg
Runtime: 50′
Type of experience: installation, mixed reality, live performance, interactive
I’m still a little shocked that Craig Quintero and Phoebe Greenberg’s Blur didn’t win any awards at Venice Immersive, as filmmaking and storytelling-wise, it’s definitely a step above the other projects I’ve experienced this year. The project is a collaboration between director Craig Quintero – whose previous work includes his “Just for You” Trilogy, which ended with last year’s Venice-premiering A Simple Silence – and producer Phoebe Greenberg, founder and director of PHI Centre.
If you’ve experienced one of Craig Quintero‘s previous works, you might have an idea of what you’re in for with Blur, which contains most of the director’s trademarks: haunting, absurdist settings and narratives, uncomfortable moments where characters stare into your eyes for a long time, a fascination with shapes, a gorgeous color palette, and clever transitions between settings. But Phoebe Greenberg‘s voice is very much present too, both thematically and in the way Blur blends extended reality with live performance in imaginative ways.
Story-wise, the work deals with human cloning through the lens of grief, centering on a mother who’s trying to resurrect her drowned child. At some point, the child reappears, wearing a t-shirt that reads “dream big,” and that’s exactly the point of Blur. How big should we dream? At what point do we draw the line between scientific advance and ethics? How do we decide when to give up and simply accept death as a part of life? And how do we retain our humanity in an increasingly artificial world?
What’s even more impressive than its themes is how Blur manages to give you the freedom to explore and even interact with the work in unexpected ways – with live actors and the element of performance, but also by having individual users take different journeys despite this being a collective experience – while always retaining control over the narrative, despite its 50′ runtime. Blur gets a glowing recommendation from me, and I can’t wait to see what both creatives will make in the future.
Dark Rooms
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Creators: Mads Damsbo, Laurits Flensted Jensen, Anne Sofie, Steen Sverdrup
Cast: Anjay, Trixie D., F.L., yaalioness
Runtime: 35’
Type of experience: installation, virtual reality, interactive, documentary
Dark Rooms was the biggest surprise for me at this year’s Venice Immersive. The synopsis describes it as a work about “unspoken desires and intimate exploration” that takes place “in a world where sexuality often lurks in the shadows” and is about sexual awakenings and societal taboos. Based on this and on the pictures on the website, I had an idea of what I might have been in for with Dark Rooms, but I was not prepared for the beautiful, emotional journey it took me on.
The experience sees Dark Rooms‘ creators tell us their real life stories on how they managed to overcome trauma and discover their true selves. As you might expect, it does contain some explicit content, but what matters is the heart with which these stories are told, which will get you to really care about every single one of these characters and connect with them in unexpected ways. I was so surprised by how moving and healing I found Trixie D.’s story in particular, which takes place in a world that’s very unfamiliar to me and yet is told with such rawness and vulnerability that I found a part of myself in it too.
Depending on your own journey, you’ll probably connect with one character more than the others; yaalioness’s story is so empowering and stunning that I can see it becoming a favorite for many. Still, you’ll always be engaged regardless thanks to Dark Rooms‘ gorgeous visuals and fantastic use of space, with some interactive elements and so much packed into each scene that will give you so much to take in at all times. It’s a collective experience, but these storytellers care about their viewers, and Dark Rooms is a safe space. Don’t be fooled by your own taboos and try this experience: you won’t regret it.
Eddie and I
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Creator: Maya Shekel
Runtime: 22′
Type of experience: virtual reality, interactive
Eddie and I is a promising experience that needs some fine tuning to really become great. It revolves around an eight-year-old deaf boy named Ron, who is afraid of going on his first camping trip. On the night before the trip, his mum tells him a story about a friendly monster who lives in the forest to soothe him, yet Ron is still afraid. That night, he falls into a deep sleep and start dreaming about that monster, Eddie.
What’s really interesting here is that we are the monster. Since Ron is deaf, we need to use sign language to interact with him, and we are taught how to communicate a few words at the start of the experience. As the story goes on, we get to use those signs to earn Ron’s trust and help him on this adventure, which makes this a story about overcoming one’s fears and accepting what’s different.
What prevented Eddie and I from being great for me was that the story moves at a slow pace and takes its time telling you what to do – for example, which signs you’re supposed to communicate when. On top of this, one sign in particular didn’t work very well when I experienced it, and whenever Ron would look at me, he’d look at someone who was definitely taller than I am, which made me less immersed in it since it didn’t really feel like he was communicating with me.
Still, these are some minor issues that can be fixed, and what remains at Eddie and I‘s core is a story about courage and embracing one’s identity that will definitely speak to younger audiences.
Empathy Creatures
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Creator: Mélodie Mousset
Runtime: 10′
Type of experience: installation, virtual reality, interactive
Empathy Creatures introduces you to a bird in a series of scenarios where your mission is always the same: getting the bird to be happier. When you first meet this bird, it’s really stressed and exhausted, with flaming red feathers. It won’t come to you right away; on the contrary, it’ll often fly to the other side of the room, ignore you, or even start banging its head against the wall. Eventually, it’ll start trusting you, and by feeding it, making it sing, bursting bubbles with it, or even breathing together, you’ll restore its emotional balance – and be healed in the process.
That’s the idea behind Empathy Creatures, and the experience mostly succeeds at creating this feeling. Yet there are a few aspects that could be improved. One of the stories sees us feeding strawberries to the bird, but it’s super difficult to figure out how to pick them up, and the bird just gets more and more frustrated watching you fail over and over again. Another story includes a breathing exercise where the bird turns into a sort of totem, guiding you through breathing exercises that felt a little creepy to me due to how unnaturally happy this creature became: it felt more like a drug-fueled trip than an emotionally balances journey.
Still, the other two stories are really well done: one sees you act as a conductor as the bird chirps away, and the other has you making soap bubbles that the bird has to burst by flying into them. Both stories are really sweet and achieved the desired effect. I would love to see this expanded into a wider universe where users can choose which animal to interact with and how.
The Great Escape
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Creator: Joren Vandenbroucke
Runtime: 20′
Type of experience: virtual reality
The grass is always greener on the other side, but The Great Escape teaches us that there’s value to be found in our good old routines too. This 360° experience from creator Joren Vandenbroucke turns you into the third of three geranium flowers that belong to a lonely 38-year-old man named Patrick. The geraniums are bored and yearn to escape; one day, Patrick buys a smartphone and the flowers get a hold of it: they might be able to see the world after all. But the outside world isn’t so kind to plants, and our protagonists soon realize that leading an uneventful life is better than having no life at all.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed The Great Escape, mostly due to its beautiful design and fantastic pacing, but also for the existential aspects it touches upon. This VR work has a very distinctive identity and something to say, and it does so with personality, humor, and stunning technical execution. Not to be missed.
La Triste Histoire de la Petite Souris Qui Voulait Absolument Devenir Quelqu’un
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Creators: Nicolas Bourniquel & Floriane Cortes
Runtime: 30′
Type of experience: Virtual Reality
The Atlas V-produced La Triste Histoire de la Petite Souris qui Voulait Absolument Devenir Quelqu’un – or, in English, The Sad Story of the Little Mouse Who Wanted to Become Somebody – will divide audiences for how little VR there actually is in it. But while it’s true that this story could have simply been told as a movie, I still think there’s an added value given by experiencing it in Virtual Reality, not only in terms of how immersive it all is but also for some shifts in perspective at the end that won’t be spoiled here.
In fact, this was another favorite of mine at Venice Immersive this year, and it even got me teary at the end. It tells the story of the titular little mouse. When we first meet her, she’s bitter and resentful, and can’t seem to be able to interact with anyone without sounding arrogant sarcastic, and eventually pushing everyone away. The little mouse became this way because she spent her entire life driven by one desire: becoming someone. Failure made her want to pursue her goal more relentlessly, so much so that she has forgotten about everything else, from how to communicate with others to her own basic needs.
But this little mouse is also a very talented artist, and one day, she’s offered a job by Santa Claus. So begins a new adventure in the world’s most famous workshop… Except it’s not at all what she thought it would be.
The Sad Story of the Little Mouse Who Wanted to Become Somebody is a story about the perils of ambitions that reminds us to cherish our humanity, but it’s also a Christmas story with a twist, and that twist is for you to discover. Trust us: it’s worth it.
Less Than 5 Gr of Saffron
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Creator: Négar Motevalymeidanshah
Runtime: 7’
Type of experience: Virtual Reality
How can a VR work that’s only 7′ long leave you an emotional wreck by the end? All you have to do to find out is experiencing Less Than 5 Gr of Saffron, produced by Ten 2 Ten and distributed by Astrea. The rightful winner of Venice Immersive’s 2025 Special Jury Prize is the story of an Iranian immigrant who lives in Germany. One evening, when she comes back to her flat after work, she buys a packet of saffron, which her nearest supermarket has recently acquired. Feeling homesick, she decides to cook a home-cooked meal; but as she adds saffron to the pan, her memories come flooding back, and with them, all the trauma she experienced.
What’s so impressive about Less Than 5 Gr of Saffron is that, in such a short time and with no dialogue, creator Négar Motevalymeidanshah and the team behind this work are able not only to tell – and make us feel – a very detailed tale, but also to direct our attention at all times, using props and visual motifs to make us understand both the narrative and the character’s emotions. Less Than 5 Gr of Saffron is proof that a VR work doesn’t need to be long and complicated to deliver; if the heart is there, that’s what matters.
To me, this was the best VR experience at Venice Immersive 2025, and I cannot wait to find out what Négar Motevalymeidanshah does next.
Mirage
VENICE IMMERSIVE: COMPETITION
Creators: Naima Karim & Aleena Hanif
Runtime: 8′
Type of experience: virtual reality, haptics, interactive
Mirage explores depression and anxiety from the point of view of a mother who’s trying to be there for her daughter. It was inspired from co-creator Naima Karim’s experience with her own daughter, and it features Karim’s own beautiful illustrations, together with a haptic vest that vibrates throughout the experience. This, and Mirage‘s colorful world-building, make this installation very immersive, even more so as it uses hand-tracking interaction to get us to interact with its depressed protagonist.
Having experienced depression myself, I found the exploration of the feelings that come with this illness to be a bit surface-level, but then again, I’m not Mirage‘s target audience. As I experienced this work, I couldn’t help but wish my own family had watched this too when I was unwell, as it would have definitely enabled them to get some understanding of not only what I was going through, but also how to support me. This makes Mirage an essential watch for caretakers to people who suffer from depression and anxiety, made even better by its stunning and immersive visual style.
Submerged
BEST OF EXPERIENCES – OUT OF COMPETITION
Director: Edward Berger
Cast: Jordan Barton, Michael Socha, Anthony Nyro, Tucker St. Ivany, Anthony Flanagan, Matej Novak
Runtime: 17′
Type of experience: Immersive film
Where to Watch: on Apple Vision Pro
The first scripted film in Apple Immersive Video takes us inside a WWII submarine where a crew faces a torpedo attack. Just like Asteroid was mostly made to showcase Google’s XR platform, Submerged is the first scripted film in Apple Immersive Video. But if Asteroid was mostly a filmed work with some creative uses of space that justified it being shown in VR, Apple’s Submerged uses VR to make for a more immersive, claustrophobic experience that will have you holding your breath from the moment our protagonists’ lives start being at risk.
On top of this, Conclave director Edward Berger manages to provide us with enough backstory to make us really care about its protagonists, and the time we spend with them before the attack is essential to the story’s success. The acting from Jordan Barton, Anthony Nyro and Tucker St. Ivany contributes to giving Submerged an emotional core, and the action itself places you right there with them in real time.
Submerged will take you on a thrilling, immersive adrenaline ride. It’s out now on Apple Vision Pro and you should definitely check it out.
Venice Immersive 2025, the Venice Film Festival’s Virtual Reality strand, took place at Lido di Venezia’s Lazzaretto Island on August 27 – September, 6 2025.
