kourtrajmé collective

Founded in 1994 by filmmakers Kim Chapiron, Romain Gavras and Toumani Sangaré, the Kourtrajmé collective brings together over a hundred artists who make up the richness and plurality of this group in phase with the protean audiovisual milieu. Anchored in the digital turn of the new millennium, the collective’s singular trajectory is marked by a bold use of new media. In 2018, Kourtrajmé expanded with its own school, created under the impetus of filmmaker Ladj Ly and now headed by Nabil Zerfa. Free and accessible, the school trains young talent in the various image professions and in narrative innovation.

In the presence of Ladj Ly, Kim Chapiron, Romain Gavras, Toumani Sangaré, Nabil Zerfa, Yassine Lassar Ramdani

Full program here!

• ROMAIN GAVRAS – Athena (director, screenwriter)
• LADJ LY – Athena (screenwriter), Bâtiment 5 (director), Casual Gone (producer), Écrémé (producer)
• TOUMANI SANGARÉ – Ecole Kourtrajmé
• KIM CHAPIRON – Le jeune Imam (director)
• YASSINE LASSAR RAMDANI – Ecole Kourtrajmé
• NABIL ZERFA – Ecole Kourtrajmé
• BOUHAR BOINA – Student, Ecole Kourtrajmé 
• MANAL KHALLOU –Student, Ecole Kourtrajmé
• DRISS MARGUERIT – Student, Ecole Kourtrajmé 

Film & Beyond

JEAN-MICHEL JARRE

GIFF pays tribute to legendary composer, performer, producer and creator of immersive experiences Jean-Michel Jarre. A visionary artist and a key figure in electronic music, Jean-Michel Jarre has distinguished himself throughout his career by his avant-garde vision. Having left his mark on the music industry with memorable works such as the legendary Oxygène album and his extraordinary concerts, Jean-Michel Jarre’s creativity is also linked to his exploration of new technological trends. He receives the Film & Beyond Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to music and the digital arts and gives a masterclass about his extraordinary career and his interest in new technologies.

Full program here!

Tales of Swiss Innovation

MARGUERITE KUDELSKI

This year, GIFF celebrates the Swiss company Kudelski and its enduring presence within the global audiovisual industry, in particular its iconic invention “the Nagra”, a family of magnetic tape sound recorders. Introduced to the market in 1951 by Stefan Kudelski, these devices revolutionized sound recording for film, television, radio and elsewhere, thanks to their portability and efficiency – not only technically and practically, but also artistically. Marguerite Kudelski, Stefan’s daughter and currently a member of Kudelski-Nagra’s Board of Directors, will be present at GIFF to explore the history of Nagra in a Masterclass discussion with researchers from the University of Lausanne.

Full program here!

La liste complète des Guests du GIFF 2021 sera annoncée dès le 26 octobre.

International Feature Competition

• RAMATA-TOULAYE SY – Banel & Adama (director) 
• TIMM KRÖGER – Die Theorie von Allem (director) 
• HÉLÉNA KLOTZ – La vénus d’argent (director) 
• ÉLISE GIRARD – Sidonie au Japon (director)

International Series Competition

• SOFIE GRÅBØL – Prisoner (actress) 
• CATHLEEN ROULEAU – A Propos d’Antoine (creator)
• SYLVAIN PARENT-BÉDARD – A Propos d’Antoine (producer)
• ZITA THEUNYNCK – The Club (creator) 
• LEANDER VERDIEVEL – The Club (creator) 

International Immersive Experience

• FABIENNE GIEZENDANNER – Bloom (creator)
• MARIANA CADENAS – Draw for Change: existimos, resistimos (creator) 
• DAN TUCKER – In Pursuit of Repetitive Beats (producer)
• MACIEJ ZEMOJCIN – Murals (producer) 
• PATRICIA ECHEVERRIA LIRAS – Remember This Place: 31°20’46’’N 34°46’46’’E (creator, director)

FUTURE IS SENSIBLE competition

• TOM MILLEN – Consensus Gentium (producer)
• LAURENT RIME – Them. Us. Me (creator) 
• LEO THIEMARD – Them. Us. Me (creator) 
• MARC DA COSTA – Tulpamancer (creator)
• KYROS PAPAVASSILIOU – Embryo Larva Butterfly (director)

Highlights

• ARNAUD DES PALLIÈRES – Captives (director) 
• MATTEO GARRONE – Io Capitano (director) 
• MOUSTAPHA FALL – Io Capitano (actor) 
• SEYDOU SARR – Io Capitano (actor)
• DELPHINE LEHERICEY – Les Indociles (creator)
• PITCH COMMENT – Les Indociles (author)
• CAMILLE REBETEZ – Les Indociles (creator) 
• THOMAS BLANCHARD – Les Indociles (actor)
• THIBAUT EVRARD – Les Indociles (actor)
• CYRIL METZGER – Les Indociles (actor)
• MARINEL MITTEMPERGHER – Les Indociles (actor)
• FOTINÌ PELUSO – Les Indociles (actor)
• ARCADI RADEFF – Les Indociles (actor)
• DAVID CONSTANTIN – Tschugger III (creator, actor) 
• JOHANNES BACHMAN – Tschugger III (co-director ) 
• SOPHIE TOTH – Tschugger III (producer)
• DRAGAN VUJIC – Tschugger III (actor) 
• VINCENT KUCHOLL – Tschugger III (actor) 
• VINCENT VEILLON – Tschugger III (actor) 
• SAFI MARTIN YÉ – Tschugger III (actress)
• BENOÎT RENAUDIN – Lavinia (creator)
• ISIS FAHMY – Lavinia (creator)
• HSIN-CHIEN HUANG – The Eye And I (creator)
• FRANÇOIS KLEIN – The Eye And I (producer)
• DETLEV BUCK – German Genius (director, actor)
• THIERRY LOA – 21-22 USA (creator) 

PULSATION

• ERIK BERNASCONI – Alter Ego (co-creator & co-director)
• ROBERT RALSTON JR. – Alter Ego (co-director)
• ANNA PIERI ZUERCHER – Alter Ego (actor)
• PIETRO ZUERCHER – Alter Ego (chief operator)
• OLGA LAMONTANARA – Alter Ego (producer)
• MICHELA PINI – Alter Ego (producer)
• FABRIZIO NICORA – Alter Ego (decorator)
• RHEA PLANGG – Alter Ego (producer)
• SARAH SCHIESSER – Alter Ego (producer)
• ROBIN HAEFELI – My Mind. Do you Mind ? (creator) 
• IRIS BREY – Split (creator)
• ALMA JODOROWSKY – Split (actress)
• MARGOT HERBELIN – Abyssal Encounter (creator)
• DORIAN JOVANOVIC – Abyssal Encounter (creator)
• MARIUS PARISOD – Congruence (creator)
• TIBOR UDVARI – Creepy Cutouts (creator)
• THÉO DÉCHANEZ – Phisus (creator)
• ODRAN JOBIN – Phisus (creator)
• LUDOVICA GALLEANI D’AGLIANO – Syntia_CAM (creator)
• ISAÏA DELAPLACE – Wish I Was Here (creator)
• VIKTOR GAGNÉ – Wish I Was Here (creator)
• SAMUEL GRANDCHAMP – Breakaway (creator, producer)
• ELI PREMINGER – Breakaway (director)
• SÉBASTIEN BEAULIEU – Breakaway (cast, GSHC coach club)

POP TV

• YVAN BUTLER (director)

• Abner Preis (créateur) – Blowing Through The Curtains
• Adèle Haenel (actrice) – Retour à Reims (Fragments)
• Arnaud Parel (créateur) – Teatro San Materno
• Basil Dénéreaz (créateur) – Run
• Bogdan Nastase (créateur) – Untitled
• Edric Douglas Stanley (créateur) – Inside Inside
• Elie Grappe (réalisateur) – Olga
• Elodie Anglade (créatrice) – Sonate Mécanique
• Firat Sezgin (producteur) – Blowing Through The Curtains
• Gaëlle Mourre (créatrice) – (Hi)story of a Painting
• Jamy Herrmann (créateur) – CAPTIVUS
• Jean Gabriel Periot (réalisateur) – Retour à Reims (Fragments)
• Jorge Reis (créateur) – Mind Box
• Julie Ryser (créatrice) – Run
• Leoni Limbach (créatrice) – Untitled
• Marine Dang (créatrice) – CAPTIVUS
• Mélanie Fontaine (créatrice) – Mind Box
• Mika Pica (créateur) – Ocytocine
• Nathanaël Vianin (créateur) – Heliotrip
• Nora Fatehi (créatrice) – Ocytocine
• Sébastien Galera (créateur) – Run
• Sina Dolati (créateur) – Säye Skye ADHD: The VR Experience
• Soraya Camina (créatrice) – Sonate Mécanique

Geneva Digital Market

• CHRISTINA LEE STORM – Founder, CEO, Asher XR
• GUILLAUME HELLEU – Web3 Strategist, Hint3rland
• NORA NAHID KHAN – Writer, Editor, and Co-Curator of the Biennale de L’Image en Mouvement, 2024
• THIBÉRY MAILLAR – Interaction Designer
• COMPUTATIONAL MAMA – Creative Technologist, co-founder Ajaibghar, AI prompt specialist Gooey.AI
• JEANNE MARCHALOT – Head of France.tv Storylab
• ANTHONY MASURE – Associate Professor and Head of Research at Haute école d’art et de design de Genève – HEAD
• ALEXIA MATHIEU – Head of Master Media Design, Haute École d’Art et de Design Genève (HEAD)
• TINO MILLAR – Founder and CEO, Move AI
• GAËLLE MOURRE – Film and immersive writer, director, Associate XR Programmer at SXSW, founder and artistic director of Fat Red Bird 
• DOUGLAS EDRIC STANLEY – Professor of Media Design at the Haute École d’Art et de Design – HEAD
• SIMON SENN – Artist
• PASCALINE SORDET – Producer, Climage
• RÉMI TERESZKIEWICZ – CEO, Betaseries
• FIBRE TIGRE – Créateur
• JAMIE UMPHERSON – Head Creative, Runway
• CRISTOBAL VALENZUELA – Co-Founder and CEO, Runway
• CALEB WARD – Founder and CEO, Curious Refuge
• MACIEJ ZEMOJCIN – Producer, PixelRace

Find the full list of GDM guests here!

DIGITAL NIGHT

• MATHIEU PRADAT – Encounters-Intruders (creator)

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JURYS

Jury international feature competition

Stéphanie Chuat – présidente du jury

Stéphanie Chuat works together with Véronique Reymond as a “twin-engine”. Their debut feature The Little Bedroom wins Best Fiction Film & Best Screenplay at the 2011 Swiss Film Award. In 2014, they write and direct the series Open Book. In 2018, their documentary feature Ladies premieres at Visions du Réel International Film Festival. In 2020, My Little Sister, starring Nina Hoss and Lars Eidinger, is selected in competition at the Berlinale. Their movie wins five Quartz at the Swiss Film Awards and is the Swiss Entry at the Academy Awards 2021. In 2023, Chuat and Reymond direct for Netflix the first four episodes of Transatlantic, Anna Winger’s (Unorthodox) new miniseries. The duo is currently developing the US remake of The Little Bedroom, and a new series, Toxic.

• Gabriel Grosclaude
• Anna Joos
• Timon Musy
• Sofia Pasotti

Jury international Series Competition

• Justine Langlois
• Damien Molineaux
• Mathieu Roux

Jury Future Is Sensible CompEtition

Nora Nahid Khan

Nora N. Khan is a curator, editor, and writer of criticism on digital visual culture and theory of emerging technologies. She is the next Co-Curator for the next Biennale de L’Image en Mouvement, with Andrea Bellini, hosted by Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève. Her books are Seeing, Naming, Knowing (Brooklyn Rail) and with Steven Warwick, Fear Indexing the X-Files (Primary Information). Forthcoming are AI Art and the Stakes for Art Criticism (Lund Humphries) and Kingdom (Primary Information). She has served as editor at Rhizome, Topical Cream, and HOLO, and as professor in Digital + Media at the Rhode Island School of Design, where was nominated for the John R. Frazier Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Giovanna Fossati

Giovanna Fossati is the Chief Curator at Eye Filmmuseum where she supervises a collection of 55,000 titles. She is also Professor of Film Heritage and Digital Film Culture at the University of Amsterdam where she has taught in the MA Preservation and Presentation of the Moving Image Program since it was established, in 2003. Fossati is the author of From Grain to Pixel: The Archival Life of Film in Transition (Amsterdam University Press, 2009 and 2018, revised edition).

Keith Stuart

Keith Stuart is a veteran journalist and critic, specialising in video games, film and digital culture. He has been both games editor and games correspondent for the Guardian, and has written for T3, Red, Empire, GamesRadar, Eurogamer and many other publications. He has spoken about immersive entertainment at Bafta and the NFTS. He is also the best-selling author of novels The Boy Made of Blocks and The Frequency of Us.

Jury international immersive experience CompEtition

Gaëlle Mourre

Gaëlle is an award winning film and immersive writer, director, producer. Her projects have been in official selection at festivals such as Sundance, SXSW, and the Venice Biennale. She is a BAFTA Connect member, was a 2020 Directors UK Inspire Mentee, and a 2022 Berlinale Talent. In 2021 she was awarded « Most Promising Creator » at Stereopsia and in 2022 her project (Hi)Story of a Painting : The Light in the Shadow won the Special Jury Recognition for Immersive Storytelling at SXSW.

Jay Kim

Jay Kim, the XR curator of the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), introduced Virtual Reality (VR) content at BIFAN in 2016 – for the first time among Korean film festivals – and has been in charge of BIFAN’s XR section program for seven years so far. Also, he newly established the BIFAN Beyond Reality section in 2019 and has introduced a variety of new media content to the audience.
Jay also produced many XR projects – since he jumped into this industry from the filmmaking business in 2016 – and his projects were invited to multiple international film festivals like Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW and IDFA and so on. Jay founded GiiÖii studio in 2020 and is currently focusing on expanding the new media content ecosystem in South Korea.

Alexandra Gérard

Alexandra Gérard, the CEO of Stereopsia, leads the helm of an influential annual XR event and festival held in Brussels, at the heart of Europe. Dedicated to immersive technologies and content, Stereopsia stands as the premier standalone XR event, strategically positioned near policy-makers. Alexandra excels in overseeing all aspects of event planning, organization, and execution. For the past 14 years, Alexandra has been instrumental in shaping Stereopsia into the leading platform for cutting-edge technology it is today. Drawing the entire Belgian XR ecosystem, including key industry players and policy influencers, Stereopsia serves as a hub for networking, collaboration, and discussions propelling the immersive technology landscape forward since 2009.