Acclaimed actress Lucy Liu is in Cannes in support of The Pirate Queen: No Safe Waters, a “cinematic immersive experience” that Liu produced along with Eloise Singer. Liu also narrates the film, which premieres as part of the fest’s Immersive Competition.

Here, she answers three of The Hollywood Reporter‘s most pressing questions around the project.

Do you remember your first time in Cannes?

My first experience at Cannes was for Kung Fu Panda, and I remember feeling completely swept up by it. Until then, I had never been in a space so intensely devoted to artistic expression on that level. What struck me most was how intimate it could still feel despite the scale of the festival — walking through it, hearing different languages, encountering people from entirely different backgrounds, and feeling this incredible connection through a shared love of storytelling.

What brings you, or your voice, to the Croisette this year?

This year feels very different from my first time at Cannes for Kung Fu Panda. The iPhone had only just been introduced, and the way we experienced film, media and connection felt completely different from today. Now, with the introduction of the immersive competition, this return feels especially meaningful.

Our project, The Pirate Queen: No Safe Waters, is a story I feel very passionate about bringing to audiences. At its heart is the story of a woman who existed outside traditional structures of power, yet changed the course of history through her ingenuity, resilience and intelligence, at a time when it was nearly impossible for a woman to be seen or even allowed an education. Connecting audiences to that legacy through an immersive format feels like exactly the right way to tell it.

What gets you excited about immersive?

What’s exciting to me about immersive is that The Pirate Queen is a story that is deeply historical and not yet widely known to audiences. The immersive format creates an environment where people can receive her story in a far more compelling and immediate way. It’s also an opportunity to introduce the Chinese culture at a pivotal moment in their history through a very modern lens. This feels especially significant right now, because there is so much content competing for attention. Immersive storytelling creates space for audiences to both observe a story and inhabit it. It’s a way to honor something profoundly historic and cultural, while presenting it in a form that meets people where they are today.