From Dust wins Immersive Competition in Cannes!

The immersive project by Michel van der Aa, produced by the doubleA Foundation, was awarded in Cannes on Thursday. From Dust was named Best Immersive Work, a prize introduced at the festival in 2024.

From Dust uses AI to create a different experience for each viewer. "You see a version of the piece that exists only for you, and the next visitor sees a different performance. It’s a unique, highly personal experience," says Van der Aa. "I think that’s what makes the project special."

"In From Dust, we explore the theme of identity," the director continues. "What I find interesting is that in VR, I can tell stories that I can’t tell on a traditional stage. The visitor is the main character in the piece. They play a crucial role in the story, and that’s what excites me about VR."

Immersive Competition

From Dust was one of nine titles included in the Immersive Competition at the Cannes Festival. In addition to the VR opera, there was another Dutch project: Lacuna by Maartje Wegdam and Nienke Huitenga Broeren (produced by Podium Biarritz, Copper Views, and Studio Biarritz). In the Focus program of the immersive selection, Floating with Spirits, co-produced by Studio Biarritz, was also presented.