A R Rahman’s debut film to premiere at Cannes XR

Grammy-winning Indian composer A R Rahman’s very first feature film ‘Le Musk’ will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Market’s ‘Cannes XR’ programme. The 36-minute film is billed as a cinematic sensory experience incorporating virtual reality, with motion, music and scent integrated into the narrative. It follows heiress and musician Juliet Merdinian, who, 20 years since she was orphaned, seeks out the men who changed her destiny with one powerful memory and that of their scent, reported ‘Variety’.

Rahman developed the story from an original idea by his wife Saira. They share a love for perfume and wished to employ scent as a narrative device in immersive cinema. Rahman directed from a screenplay by Gurachi Phoenix, besides composing the score.

“‘Le Musk’ has been several years in the making with collaborators worldwide. We have aimed to create an unprecedented, subtle sensory cinematic surrealism. Creating a feature-length cinema VR experience that pushes the boundaries of storytelling and incorporates multiple senses was a guiding force for me. Aroma and music together bring warm memories subjectively for the audience,” Rahman said.

The cast includes Nora Arnezeder and Guy Burnet in lead roles.