From Dust by Michel van der Aa Wins Best Immersive Experience at Cannes Film Festival

At the 78th Cannes Film Festival, composer and director Michel van der Aa was awarded the Best Immersive Experience prize for his VR opera From Dust. This groundbreaking work, a co-production between De Doelen and vocal ensemble Sjaella, was honored in the prestigious Immersive Competition—an important international recognition for innovative art at the intersection of opera, film, and interactive technology.

The world premiere of From Dust took place at De Doelen in Rotterdam from 3 to 15 December 2024, during Immersive Tech Week. During this period, visitors were introduced for the first time to this unique, interactive opera experience where reality, identity, and technology merge.

From Dust transcends the traditional boundaries of opera, immersing visitors in a 360-degree experience where the lines between reality and identity begin to blur. The installation responds in real time to movement and touch, with artificial intelligence enabling a personalized journey for each individual visitor.

"It is a great honor to be nominated for this prestigious festival, and an even greater honor to win. It’s truly fantastic!" said Michel van der Aa.
The award in Cannes emphasizes the importance of technological innovation in the performing arts and affirms the international relevance of Van der Aa’s work. From Dust presents a future vision in which opera and cinema merge into an interactive art form, giving the audience a central role in the narrative.

De Doelen is proud to have contributed to this groundbreaking production as commissioning partner and host of the world premiere. From 12 to 29 June 2025, From Dust will be featured at the Holland Festival in Amsterdam, where a wide audience will once again be immersed in this award-winning experience.