MyMetaStories Film Festival Takes Place in Minecraft
A European film festival called MyMetaStories has launched in the popular video game Minecraft. The festival, curated by Unifrance, a government-funded organization promoting French cinema, will run from Friday to Monday. Within Minecraft, a virtual cinema has been created where 13 short films by European creatives will be showcased. Users can pick up a ticket in-game for their chosen film and attend the virtual cinema at the scheduled time. The festival takes place on a third-party server in Minecraft: Java Edition for PC. Twitch streamers will host meet-ups and discussions during the festival.
Interactive Experience and Non-Player Characters
In addition to watching films, players can participate in mini-games related to each film and engage in an overarching quest to find a missing actor. Unifrance Executive Director Daniela Elstner stated that there are educational elements within the experience, but they are presented playfully. The short films span various genres and are available in six European languages. Elstner emphasized the importance of reaching audiences in their native language to make it easier for them to engage with the content.
Minecraft as the Host Platform
Minecraft was chosen as the host platform for the festival due to several reasons. Unlike NFT-based games that require dedicated land, Unifrance did not have to pay for a separate space within Minecraft. Furthermore, Minecraft already features non-working cinemas within its worlds. The game’s young, diverse, and large player base provided Unifrance with a different target audience to introduce to independent cinema. Although MyMetaStories is not an official Minecraft experience, game studio Mojang has shown support for the festival on social media.
Expanding Community and Future Plans
Unifrance has been hosting the online film festival MyFrenchFilmFestival for the past 13 years, building a dedicated worldwide community. The idea for MyMetaStories came from fans’ requests for more films and events. The organizers aim to widen the existing community by including films from across Europe. Unifrance has secured funding from the European Commission’s Creative Europe MEDIA Programme for the project. The short films will also be available to stream online via the festival’s website and other platforms until October 29.
Hot Take: The Future of Film Festivals
The MyMetaStories film festival in Minecraft represents an innovative approach to reaching new audiences and creating unique experiences. By leveraging the popularity of Minecraft and its large player base, Unifrance aims to introduce independent cinema to a diverse community. This unconventional film festival highlights the potential of virtual platforms for hosting cultural events. While it remains uncertain if film festivals in video game worlds will become mainstream, the organizers are exploring new ways to engage viewers and promote independent cinema. The evolving landscape of communication and technology opens up opportunities for experimentation and change within the film industry.
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