Songs for a Passerby

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.

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.

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

Release and reception
Songs for a Passerby premiered in the official competition of the Venice Immersive section of the Venice International Film Festival. 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. The jury called the film a visionary work of art and "a landmark work in the field of VR cinema." 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.

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