HTC VIVE ORIGINALS VR Film 5x1 Grand Screening in Cannes Highly Regarded and Critically Acclaimed by International Film Professionals

CANNES, France, May 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- After being selected by 2019 SXSW Film Festival and 2019 Tribeca Film Festival consecutively, 5x1, the VR film produced by HTC VIVE and Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee, had its grand premiere in Cannes on May 16th. The event was highly regarded by hundreds of international film professionals and press. The immersive experience of VIVE ORIGINALS works received great feedbacks from its audiences, of which the top fifty production company in the U.S. especially expressed their interest in future collaborations. Just so it happened, the two directors who participated in the VR film project 5x1, Midi Z and Qiu Yang, was also nominated by the 2019 Cannes Film Festival with Nina Wu and She Runs, each entering the "Un certain regard" and "La Semaine de la Critique of Festival de Cannes" categories.  On the other hand, director Lee Chung's VR film Mr.Buddha and HTC VIVE ORIGINALS and France international co-production VR animation Gloomy Eyes were also nominated by NewImages Film Festival VR Competition.

5x1, the VR film produced by HTC VIVE and Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee, was screened in Cannes on the 16^th, attracting the attention of hundreds of international film professionals and press. International film festival selectors from Venice, Tribeca, Three Continents Festival, Geneva, Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, and Mexican Film Festival all experienced the VR works enthusiastically. Director Midi Z, whose film Nina Wu has just been selected by the Cannes Film Festival, along with the film's lead actresses Wu Ke-Xi and Hsia Yu-Chiao, came to the event. Also, Qiu Yang, with his new short film She Runs being nominated by Cannes Film Festival, joined in on the celebration as well.  The two directors are excited about how both their latest work and their VR works are being screened in the festival. Director Midi Z said modestly that it is a great honor to be selected by Cannes Film Festival, and that the co-production with HTC, The Making of, is an attempt very different from traditional film making. He is amazed and happy to be able to showcase the piece in Cannes, and he looks forward to the audiences' reaction. Wu Ke-xi, the lead actress in Nina Wu and The Making Of, said that she is very grateful to be in Cannes as a scriptwriter and actress and that it is a fresh experience for her as a film professional. She also stressed that the VR collaboration in The Making Of was an enthralling filming experience for her. Director Midi Z also revealed a twist in Cannes, saying that an unexpected surprise about The Making Of could be found hidden in Nina Wu.

Director Qiu Yang, who has been nominated by Cannes Film Festival for the third time, exclaimed, "VR creation is fascinating!" Qiu Yang attempts to magnify emotions directly to the audience through virtual reality. The intense viewing experience forces the audience to face matters that most people choose to turn a blind eye and stay silent about. When asked about his short film being selected by the festival, Qiu said, "I must thank Cannes for their recognition for my new short film. I truly hope I did not use up all my luck this time!"

HTC VIVE ORIGINALS is committed to creating self-produced content and developing original IPs. VR film 5x1 producer and VIVE ORIGINALS president Liu Szu-Ming said in the 5x1 Cannes premiere event on the 16th, "From our collaboration with director Tsai Ming-Liang in the film The Deserted two years ago to our newest work 5x1, our team continues to challenge ourselves to create work with better and higher quality. This year we are focusing on developing VR immersive animation. Moreover, our VR installation art piece which we worked with Japanese contemporary artist Miwa Komatsu for almost a year is about to be completed. We all look forward to its completion. I am also happy to share that director Lee Chung's Mr. Buddha of 5x1 and our VR animation, an international co-production with France, Gloomy Eyes are once again nominated by an international film Festival, NewImages Film Festival from France. VIVE ORIGINALS will continue to realize more diverse possibilities of story-telling through the charism and creative power of virtual reality. We hope to charm the world with our self-produced VR content."

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SOURCE HTC VIVE