On Friday, October 17, the inaugural Wendy Gutman Award will be presented to filmmaker and immersive media artist Ali Eslami. Established in memory of Wendela Scheltema, the award recognizes a creator whose work is groundbreaking, engaging, and innovative within the documentary or immersive media domain.

The Iranian-Dutch artist is considered one of the most innovative creators in the field of immersive art. His work moves between VR, interactive simulations, and physical installations, creating poetic experiences that blur the lines between the real and the virtual.