El Gouna Film Festival Unveiled Interactive Metaverse Experience

El Gouna Film Festival (GFF) stepped into the metaverse with a virtual edition powered by VR.Misr. Embracing the tech trends of the modern era, this new format opened up the festival to a wider audience, making it easier for people around the world to join in and experience it firsthand.

At this year's Cinematech pitching competition, powered by Gemini Africa, Hassan Hazem, founder of VR.Misr, shared his vision for "Cinema for Humanity." His pitch highlighted how the metaverse and VR can open up cinema by making film education, festivals, and industry insights more accessible, especially for people with disabilities. Hazem also proposed creating a dedicated film festival for digital movies, with a focus on virtual reality and cinema education.

The virtual edition of the festival introduced a digital experience designed to reach more people than ever before, connecting them with filmmakers and fellow cinema enthusiasts in a new and immersive way. You could even have your own AI avatar guide, created by VR.Misr, which leads real-time conversations and Q&A sessions on festival highlights, film stars, awards, and cinema history. Now the only thing missing is a feature to help us feel that cool seaside Gouna air from our bedrooms - maybe they'll patch that in next time.