This year, the organisers of 64th BFI London Film Festival announced the launch of LFF Expanded, the festival’s new dedicated strand of XR and immersive art.

Using cinema as a jumping off point, LFF Expanded will be an expansive space for programming, featuring virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality and including live immersive performance.

A stand-out event is a preview of ‘Dazzle: Solo’ which is inspired by the Chelsea Arts Club’s 1919 famous Dazzle ball held at the Albert Hall, blurring the lines between physical choreography and virtual imagination.

Our Guest Editor this week is the man behind LFF Expanded, Ulrich Schrauth, the BFI's XR & Immersive Programmer. Ulrich spoke to award-winning VR director and filmmaker Shehani Fernando. Together, they unpacked this exciting new strand to the iconic London Film Festival. 

In our Magazine sections, the creator of the Truth to Power Café show, Jeremy Goldstein is interviewed by the writer Theo Bosanquet ahead of the show's special virtual outing as part of the Bloomsbury Festival, plus the North American premiere!

Artist James Tailor is interviewed by Anastasia Niedinger about his inflatable installation on Dean street, at The Smallest Gallery in Soho 

We also highlight two opportunities for creatives coming up, namely FVU's Michael O’Pray Prize 2020, and Festival UK 2022.

Stay safe dear reader, and we'll write again later this month. Bottoms up! Jamie x