Meet your descendants – and your future self! A trip to Venice film festival’s extended reality island

The article discusses the Venice Film Festival's extended reality (XR) island, Lazzaretto Vecchio, which has become a hub for immersive storytelling experiments. The island, previously a plague quarantine zone and storage facility, now hosts the festival's Venice Immersive section, showcasing a flourishing lineup of XR experiences that transport visitors into novels, nightclubs, and outer space. The article highlights the juxtaposition of the ancient festival and the futuristic medium of XR, as the festival explores new forms of cinema while also engaging with the "ghosts" of the island's past. The article mentions the premiere of Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein," which reflects the theme of technological breakthroughs opening "Pandora's box" and the unknown consequences that may arise. Overall, the article presents the Venice Film Festival's embrace of immersive storytelling as a means of pushing the boundaries of the cinematic experience.