For the technicians from Merveilleux Productions, it was time for final adjustments on Tuesday when we met them in the glass hall of the international center for glass art (CIAV) in Meisenthal. They are in fact preparing the immersive show which will be offered to visitors during the Christmas holidays. For the site, this is a great first. What does this show, the Halle aux Lumières, say? This is the story, “in a valley in the Northern Vosges, a little boy a few feet high, and three apples…”. A little guy who will leave the warmth of his home to discover the world around him. The opportunity for the show imagined by Messin Laurent-Guillaume Dehlinger to showcase the cultural and artisanal heritage of the country of Bitche through a show which gives pride of place to all modern technologies.
The latter explains: “It is an animated film, where the audience becomes the very actor of their own story. We use all the technology available: there is mapping, floor projection, virtual reality, sound experience… We come from street theater and have always worked in public spaces. But for us this is our first immersive project.”
“Something never seen before”
A project that required a month of reflection and two months of production. Around ten people worked on this achievement. “It’s something never seen before. And that’s what we want to go towards. Immersion is what awaits us tomorrow in leisure and entertainment,” explains the Mosellan, who drew on his knowledge of the territory to write this tale: “That shines through in this project. You have to know the subject, particularly through the people who live in the area.”
The show lasts 25 minutes in total. From the premiere scheduled for this Friday, November 22 to the last, December 29, 2024, there will be 191 broadcasts of the film, based on 7 sessions per day. “With a capacity of more than 100 visitors per hour, the Halle aux Lumières plans to welcome several thousand spectators during the end-of-year holidays,” indicates the CIAV.
