The London Film Festival launches free video games arena
Sitting and watching a big screen is a brilliant, but increasingly old fashioned, way to take in the latest stories. As technology advances, it becomes increasingly clearer that there are an increasing amount of alternative ways to enjoy high-definition experiences, and the LFF Expanded programme returns bigger than ever for this year’s London Film Festival.
Returning from 11 – 27 October, LFF Expanded celebrates immersive art, extended reality and gaming. There are a variety of events helping Londoners experience the latest digital futures and technological methods of storytelling.
For 2024, 14 new projects will be unveiled that “celebrate the moving image in all its forms.”
Five installations will be installed in public spaces and invite interaction. They will be programmed at Outernet near Tottenham Court Road, BFI Imax, BFI Southbank and Oxo Tower Wharf.
London Film Festival: a games lounge for London
For the first time, a games lounge at venue space Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf will be free-to-attend, showcasing five new video games ranging from examinations of psychedelic experiences to the mysteries of the Scottish Highlands and the life and work of Franz Kafka. Londoners will be able to play the games as some of the first users.
One of the games, Impulse: Playing with Reality, is narrated by Tilda Swinton and examines ADHD. It is informed by over 100 hours of interviews and involves gameplay to explore the condition and provide deeper insight while “raising important questions.” It’ll be playable at the Bargehouse at Oxo Tower Wharf on the Southbank.
Ulrich Schrauth, BFI London Film Festival’s XR and Immersive Programme Lead, said: “This year’s LFF Expanded programme harnesses the most innovative and imaginative digital technologies, from Projection Mapping and Mixed Reality to Immersive Audio and AI and, for the first time, I’m excited that the programme will present Games.
“The works shine a spotlight on the intersection between healthcare and technology, telling vivid personal stories, celebrating the power of play and platforming breathtaking immersive experiences at the very forefront of screen technology.”
Kristy Matheson, BFI London Film Festival Director, added: “LFF Expanded has become integral to the LFF experience and I invite audiences to go to the limits of their imagination and beyond with the programme this year.”
The London Film Festival programme will be unveiled on 4 September and the full LFF Expanded programme is here.