What do Kanye West and Kim Kardashian and Charles + Ray Eames have in common? All of them have presented immersive cinema experiences.

The latest news is from Cannes, where Kanye premiered his new film, CRUEL SUMMER, on seven screens. Kim Kardashian was there to lead the applause.

(UKPA) – 3 hours ago

“Kanye West and girlfriend Kim Kardashian lit up Cannes as the American rapper premiered his debut film. The couple strolled down the red carpet at the world famous Palm Beach in the French Riviera resort where a small number had been invited to watch the screening of his short film Cruel Summer. West, wearing jeans, a white T-shirt and white tuxedo, held reality TV star Kardashian’s hand, who dazzled in a low-cut bronze and silver mini-dress and ankle boots, as they posed for photographers. The pair did not speak to the press but two of the actresses in West’s film, which is inspired by the new G.O.O.D music album of the same name, praised the rapper and his work in the tale of “West meets East”. Qatari actress Sarah A said Cruel Summer, which is a fusion of short film and art installation on an “immersive seven screen experience”, told the tale of a blind princess in the Middle East who falls for a man and tries to help him through various challenges set by her parents so they can be together, as is tradition in the region. She said: “It is a bridge from the East. This represents the East in a more beautiful way - it shows the beauty of the region and how most of the region is.” She is the first Qatari woman to be in a film but this was her first and last acting role, she said, which she only accepted because it was such a unique experience. She will now focus on a career in film producing. West and Kardashian posed for photographers with the cast before making their way into the makeshift cinema - an elaborate red marquee overlooking the waterfront - for the premiere of the film.”

Scholars have long noted the pioneering Eames work in this regard, first with GLIMPSES OF THE USA. Made for the American Exhibition in Moscow in 1959, it was a seven-screen presentation of extraordinarily rich image saturation.

They followed this in 1962 with HOUSE OF SCIENCE, on six screens, at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair and here you can see two screen shots of that presentation. The audience was seated on the floor, or standing.

THINK, a 21 screen immersive cinema experience for the IBM Pavilion at the 1962 New York Worlds Fair, was the culmination of their work in this regard.

Courtesy of The Eames Office, here you can watch a movie about the IBM Pavilion work, made by Charles and Ray Eames. This film, IBM AT THE FAIR, encompasses the entire experience, which included many short films in various kiosks, and then the grand experience: the audience climbed aboard a “People Wall” and were taken up inside a giant egg shaped theatre, where the 11 minute 21 screen film was shown, along with a live MC wearing a tuxedo.

And here are more images of this presentation.

Here are the immersive cinema pioneers, Charles and Ray Eames, hard at work on one of their films.

You can buy a boxed set of Eames films here.