The installation had to rise to the cinematic legacy of Koyaanisqatsi, and Barco gave our story the clarity and depth it needed to truly resonate.
The Vivid Unknown: immersion and innovation at Cannes 2025
France · 2025
When the Festival de Cannes launched its Immersive Competition in 2024, it signalled a bold new chapter in cinematic storytelling. In 2025, the competition returned with even greater ambition. Among the standout installations was The Vivid Unknown, a hauntingly beautiful AI-driven experience co-directed by John Fitzgerald and Godfrey Reggio and powered by Barco’s cutting-edge projection technology.
Barco solutions:
- 3x G50-W8
Key benefits:
- Exceptional image quality with cinematic depth
- Seamless integration with interactive technology
- Compact footprint and whisper-quiet operation
Context
The Immersive Competition, launched in 2024 and supported by the CNC (French National Centre of Cinema), has quickly become the Festival de Cannes’ official gateway into the future of storytelling. It celebrates the convergence of cinema and cutting-edge technology—showcasing works that blend virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and interactive art into powerful, multisensory experiences. In its second edition in 2025, the competition took over the legendary Carlton Hotel, transforming its ballrooms into portals of sensory exploration.
Among the standout installations was The Vivid Unknown, a mesmerizing AI-driven triptych co-directed by John Fitzgerald and Godfrey Reggio. Drawing inspiration from Reggio’s 1982 cult classic Koyaanisqatsi, the piece reimagined a world spiraling into imbalance, this time through the lens of machine learning and real-time computer vision. Powered by a custom AI model trained on Reggio’s archive and Philip Glass’ iconic score, the installation didn’t just depict a dystopian future; it responded to it. As viewers moved through the space, they were invited to take part in the narrative as their silhouettes were captured, interpreted, and woven into the visual tapestry of a dystopian world shaped by technology.
Challenge
To do justice to the cinematic legacy of Koyaanisqatsi, the installation demanded projection technology that could deliver unmatched visual performances, deep contrast, and seamless responsiveness to real-time audience interaction. It demanded a visual infrastructure capable of supporting a living, reactive artwork. The installation’s dynamic nature, driven by real-time audience interaction and AI-generated imagery, meant that every frame had to be rendered with absolute precision.
The visuals needed to evoke both the raw intensity and the meditative stillness of Reggio’s original vision, rendering both the chaos and the poetry of a world in flux, while adapting fluidly to the presence of each viewer. Any compromise in image quality would dilute the emotional and philosophical impact of the piece. The technology had to be invisible; yet utterly transformative.
Solution
In a work where every detail matters, Barco’s G50 projectors and G-lenses were a perfect fit delivering the luminous richness and precision required to bring The Vivid Unknown to life. As the smallest and lightest projector in its category, the G50 stands for exceptional image clarity in a compact design.
The laser phosphor light source ensures great image uniformity, with superb colors and contrast, crucial for the work inspired by Koyaanisqatsi, where every visual nuance carries emotional and philosophical weight. The projectors rendered both the stark minimalism and the layered complexity of the installation with cinematic depth, ensuring the visuals resonated with audiences on a visceral level. “I chose Barco projectors because they offer an unparalleled level of visual fidelity,” said Fitzgerald. “The installation had to rise to the cinematic legacy of Koyaanisqatsi, and Barco gave our story the clarity and depth it needed to truly resonate.”
Equally important was the seamless integration of Barco’s projection system with the installation’s AI-driven infrastructure. The G50s responded effortlessly to real-time inputs from the custom machine-learning model and computer vision system, which tracked audience movement and presence. As viewers navigated the space, their silhouettes were captured and projected into the evolving visual narrative, without latency or distortion. This responsiveness was key to maintaining the illusion of a living, reactive environment.
Results
The response was overwhelming. The Vivid Unknown became the talk of the festival, drawing praise from museum curators, critics, and the general public alike. The installation’s ability to blur the line between viewer and artwork left a lasting impression on thousands of attendees.
In a work where every pixel carried meaning, Barco’s technology didn’t just support the vision - it amplified it, allowing The Vivid Unknown to unfold with cinematic depth, immersive precision, and emotional resonance.
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