Songs for a Passerby explained

Director:Celine Daemen
Producer:
  • Dominique Slegers
  • Romain Bischoff
  • Celine Daemen
  • Ton Driessen
  • Joost Segers
  • Leonie Baars
  • Joost Heijthuijsen
Starring:
  • Sterre Konijn
  • Michaela Riener
  • Carl Refos
  • Georgi Sztojanov
  • Hans Croiset
  • Nadia Amin
  • Vincent van den Berg
  • Misja Nolet
  • Eleonora Schrickx
  • Garbo
  • Rey
  • Raffie
  • Micha
Music:Asa Horvitz
Studio:
  • Silbersee
  • Studio Nergens
  • VIA ZUID
Country:Netherlands

Songs for a Passerby is a 2023 Dutch surrealist virtual reality opera film directed by Celine Daemen and written by Olivier Herter. Songs for a Passerby premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2023, where it won the Venice Immersive Grand Prize.[1]

Synopsis

Songs for a Passerby is a virtual reality experience during which the audience autonomously walks through an abandoned city landscape, wearing a VR head set. The film is structured like a musical dreamscape. The audience member themself becomes the protagonist in this film. Passing by various scenes, such as a choir of murmuring people, a dying horse lying on the ground and metro commuters with audible thoughts, the film allows the audience to step outside reality for a moment. A stray dog guides the audience through this experience. In the final scene both this stray dog and the audience have an encounter with their own 3D mirror image.[2] [3]

Production

The film is a transdisciplinary work of art, using elements from music, visual arts, opera, film, literature and new media.[4] Director Daemen herself described the film as an opera, since the musical dramaturgy was especially important to her during the production.[5]

Release and reception

Songs for a Passerby premiered in the official competition of the Venice Immersive section of the Venice International Film Festival.[6] In this competition the film won the prestigious Grand Prize. This is the first prize of the Extended Reality section of the world leading art exhibition Venice Biennale.[7] The jury called the film a visionary work of art and "a landmark work in the field of VR cinema."[8] Also, the technical virtuosity and emotional impact of the film was praised by the jury. In The Netherlands, the film premiered at the Muziekgebouw in Amsterdam. The critical reception of Songs for a Passerby by the international press was overall positive.[9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

The film was released in North America during its premiere at South by Southwest on the 10th of March 2024.[16]

Awards

!Year!Award!Category!Recipient!Result
2023Venice International Film FestivalVenice Immersive Grand PrizeSongs for a PasserbyWon

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2023-10-24. 2023-09-09. en. Biennale Cinema 2023 Official awards of the 80th Venice Flm Festival. La Biennale di Venezia.
  2. Web site: 2023-07-10 . Biennale Cinema 2023 Songs for a Passerby . 2023-11-15 . La Biennale di Venezia . en.
  3. Web site: Songs for a Passerby — Celine Daemen . 2023-11-18 . www.muziekgebouw.nl . nl.
  4. Web site: Bye . Kent . 2023-09-26 . Kickoff of Venice Immersive 2023 Coverage with Winner "Songs by a Passerby" and Atmospheric Storytelling . VoicesofVR.com.
  5. Web site: 2023-10-24. 2023-09-12. nl. Bij de VR-opera's van Celine Daemen worden toeschouwers deelnemers. De Groene Amsterdammer.
  6. Web site: 2023-10-24. 2023-07-10. en. Biennale Cinema 2023 Venice Immersive. La Biennale di Venezia.
  7. Web site: 2022-12-20 . Biennale Cinema 2023 Regulations . 2023-11-15 . La Biennale di Venezia . en.
  8. Web site: 2023-09-10 . Celine Daemen: A Creative Journey in the World of Art and Virtual Reality in Cinema . 2023-11-15 . en-US.
  9. Web site: Despretz . Sandrine Maricot . 2023-09-28 . Songs for a Passerby, opera by Celine Daemen - Hémisphère son . 2023-11-15 . Sound Hemisphere . en.
  10. Camilleri . Jenny . 2023-09-21 . Bekroonde virtualreality-opera confronteert je voortdurend met je gevoelens . De Volkskrant.
  11. Web site: 2023-10-24. 2023-09-19. KEES. nl-NL. Driessen. Celine Daemen over VR Songs for a Passerby. Filmkrant.
  12. Web site: 2023-10-24. 2023-09-08. Damiano. it-IT. D'agostino. Songs for a passerby: un viaggio zen (da fare scalzi). The Hollywood Reporter Roma.
  13. Web site: 2023-10-24. 2023-09-06. Alessandro. it-IT. Redaelli. Venice Immersive 2023 Songs for a Passerby: la recensione. VR ITALIA.
  14. Web site: Cunningham . Nick . 2023-09-04 . Venice Immersive: Songs for a Passerby by Celine Daemen . 2023-11-18 . Business Doc Europe . en-GB.
  15. Web site: Venice Immersive 2023: Songs for a Passerby . 2023-11-18 . see-nl.com . nl.
  16. Web site: Songs for a Passerby . 2024-03-12 . SXSW 2024 Schedule . en.

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