Dome Fest West Starts October 8

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Mon, 09/06/2021 - 11:19 -- Nick Dager

In what its organizers are billing as a groundbreaking film festival event, the first annual Dome Fest West will take place October 8-10 at the Orange Coast College Planetarium in Costa Mesa, California. Dome Fest West is 360-degree film festival and conference that will bring together the filmmaking community, Hollywood filmmakers and up-and-coming immersive content creators.

The festival will screen 32 films chosen as the best productions of 2020-21, including films nominated for the first Best of Earth Award. The festival also features, in partnership with Immersive Media Entertainment Research, Science & Arts, new technology presentations, industry panels, interactive workshops and parties. Event organizers expect up to 1,500 immersive filmmakers from around the globe to attend in-person and virtually.

Among the films to be shown are Living Worlds, directed by Ryan Wyatt.Ryan Moore, executive director and founder of Dome Fest West said, “It’s clear to those of us working within this medium that full-dome content isn’t just for planetariums or science-centers anymore. As more digital dome venues come online, moviegoers [will] increasingly be able to experience Hollywood-caliber immersive content – without wearing bulky [virtual reality] headsets. Cutting-edge technology innovations have enabled filmmakers to bring compelling new immersive stories and experiences that are fundamentally different than film or television.” 

Dome Fest West is one of four international full-dome festivals that will run concurrently in the US, Germany, the UK and Australia. A team of jurors delegated by the participating festivals will bestow #BestOfEarth Awards across five categories including Best Feature Film, Best Science and Education Film, Best Art and Experimental, Best Short and a Juror’s Choice Award to honor creativity and innovation in full-dome media projects.

Dome Fest West films will include Atlas of a Changing Earth, directed by Tom Lucas, Beautifica, directed by Michael Saul, and Living Worlds, directed by Ryan Wyatt.

Dome Fest West http://www.domefestwest.com

IMERSA https://www.imersa.org/