Stimuleringsfonds

The Dutch immersive project From Dust won 'Best Immersive Work' at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. Composer-director Michel van der Aa received the award for his Virtual Reality opera that harnesses artificial intelligence to create personalised experiences.

27 May 2025

Second Edition of the Immersive Competition

The prestigious international film festival ran from May 13-24, with the immersive works competition added to the festival's roster of awards in 2024. From Dust, supported through our Immerse\Interact Grant Scheme in 2023, triumphed in the second edition of this Immersive Competition.

Van der Aa's project, produced by Stichting DoubleA, was among nine selected titles competing for the honor. The Netherlands had strong representation, with Lacuna by Maartje Wegdam and Nienke Huitenga Broeren also earning a nomination.

From Dust

The Virtual Reality opera From Dust employs AI to craft a unique experience for each viewer. The performance by vocal ensemble Sjaella responds entirely to choices made by the audience member. Wearing a VR headset, visitors enter a darkened space where their interactions with the environment shape the scenes of this 24-minute opera. Each participant becomes the protagonist, playing a pivotal role in how the narrative unfolds, accompanied by Sjaella's six-member ensemble portraying the main character's various alter egos.

Touched by a Hologram?

The project uses technology that enables virtual performers to interact directly with audiences. This technique was developed during the Touched by a Hologram? project, part of our Innovationlabs programme. Van der Aa collaborated with artists, developers, and technologists to explore the artistic potential of various film techniques in developing digital twins. By pre-recording singers, musicians, or actors, they can appear as holograms in virtual spaces alongside viewers—as demonstrated by the ensemble in From Dust.