A Poet

Source: 1-2 Special

A Poet

Reflections of Little Red Dot,  a 40-minute mixed reality open documentary directed by Chloé Lee, won the CHF 10,000 ($12,400) top prize in the Immersive Experiences competition at the 31st edition of the Geneva International Film Festival, which closed November 9.

The German production allows viewers to explore the rapidly developing landscape of Singapore through personal stories from a wide range of Singaporeans.

Sales and distribution are being handled by Lee’s Berlin-based studio Present Futures.

The Immersive Experiences strand was open to VR, augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) work. It forms a cornerstone of the festival’s tradition of showcasing artists working in digital arts.

The festival’s Reflet d’Or for best feature was awarded to Simón Mesa Soto’s A Poet. The cash prize of CHF 10,000 ($12,400) is provided by the Swiss city and the state of Geneva,  of which the director receives 75% and the rights holder receives 25%. 

A Poet stars first-time actor Ubeimar Rios in a darkly comic tale about a failed writer who wanders the streets of Medellín in a drunken stupor until he sees the opportunity to mentor a young student as his shot at redemption.  It won the Un Certain Regard jury prize at Cannes earlier this year and is Colombia’s entry to the Best International Film Oscar.

The CHF 10,000 ($12,400) Migros Cultural Percentage prize in the Future Is Sensible programme was won by Dutch creator Steye Hallema’s interactive immersive performance piece Ancestors.  The interactive and immersive group experience starts with a selfie taken on the viewer’s own smartphone and uses AI to create connections between the players in the room. Hallema’s project debuted at this year’s Venice Immersive section.

The CHF 10,000 ($12,400) Reflet d’Or for best international series went to Norwegian series Requiem For Selina, from Norway’s Emmeline Bergland. Set in the early 2000s, 17-year-old Selina starts a beauty blog “Celina Isabelle,” sharing tips and promoting surgery. As her influence grows, she moves from bullied teen to Norway’s top blogger and controversial icon.

The second year of the event’s Swiss series storytelling prize, aimed at growing the festival as a hub for innovation in audiovisual fiction, was won by The Deal by Jean-Stéphane Bron. The Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium co-production picked up CHF 20,000 ($24,800) from SSA and Suissimage cultural funds. It is broadcast in Switzerland by RTS and is streaming on Play Suisse. Set in Geneva in 2015, The Deal details the story of a Swiss diplomat mediating tense US-Iran nuclear talks while dealing with the arrival of an endangered Iranian engineer from her past, complicating her diplomatic role.

The Deal was the first Swiss series to screen at the 2,000-seater Piazza Grande at the Locarno Film Festival earlier this year.

The Geneva Digital Market (GDM), the industry strand of the Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF), posted a 26% rise in attendance this year, taking place from November 3-6 .

The GDM focused on audiovisual innovation, bringing together international experts and industry professionals to discuss the sector’s technological, creative, and strategic challenges. It showcased 29 projects, including 12 from Switzerland, providing a platform for new works while fostering networking, matchmaking, and early-stage co-financing opportunities.

The conference programme explored topics such as the use of mobile phones as creative tools, the impact of artificial intelligence on production, strategic and legal issues in serial storytelling, and how content adapts to evolving platforms, including a special conference marking 20 years of YouTube.

Topics