Vocation is a documentary on artists who knew from a very early age they wanted to be an artist. A decision that for them was instinctual and some may even say it is 'a calling' based on faith and perhaps even fate alone. Artists Andy Jones, Deepa Mehta, Marie Brassard, Christopher Pratt, Brad Peyton and Bif Naked are committed to creating work in theatre, literature, music, film and performance based on an innate desire to succeed while working in the precarious profession of art.
Young Israeli survivors of the October 7 attacks travel to Los Angeles for Rock ’n’ Roll Fantasy Camp, discovering healing and strength through music and shared resilience.
Documentary capturing the rise of all-male dance company, BalletBoyz from first auditions to a performance in Addis Ababa City Hall, Ethiopia.
The lives of Jaipong dancers who persistently uphold tradition amidst economic pressures and changing times. Through their moving bodies and distinctive voices in traditional performing arts, these women dance not only for the stage but also to survive. Their voices, whether vocal expressions, soft utterances, or sinden singing, serve as the living spirit and "voice" that sustain and preserve their cultural heritage. An intimate portrait of resilience, steadfastness, and the voice in traditional arts that is gradually being marginalized.
Jaw-dropping acrobatics for royal visitors.
Matan grew up in Otef Gaza, Israel. After the October 7th Massacre and while serving in reserve duty, fighting on his home, Matan unveils the depth of his family’s post-trauma and tries to live in this new reality.
This film follows the process of creating Eating Your Heart Out. This work of art presented at São Paulo Biennal of Arts in 2004, was the first collaboration between the Portuguese artists Rui Chafes (sculptor) and Vera Mantero (choreographer and dancer). The result is a huge iron sculpture where the dancer performs a mysterious play, suspended in the air, with paintings all over her body.
A quickfire portrait of the New York City ballroom scene in the ‘80s.
A unique hybrid of documentary, silent film, drama and dance, 'Breaking Plates' puts revolutionary women of the past on the screen with present day filmmakers. Contemporary women talk to characters from 100 years ago, reanimate their antics and emulate their mayhem moves. As early 21st century performers step into the clothes of their early 20th century counterparts, battling their haywire machines, exploding gags, and eruptive bodies, they learn to wield humour as a weapon against the structures that contain them today.
Danse la Vie
Markku Lehmuskallio has devoted a large part of his documentary work to the indigenous people of the Arctic Circle. In this latest film, co-directed with his son Johannes Lehmuskallio, he composes a fascinating poetic ethnography inspired by the singing, dancing, forms of contemporary existence and, above all, the vital breath of these nomad communities mistreated by History.
"Looking for men and women aged over 65" was the small ad in a local newspaper in Wuppertal, through which the choreographer Pina Bausch sought senior performers for the remake of her dance spectacle "Kontakthof". 26 amateurs aged from 65 to 72 were selected. They rehearsed for over a year and the premiere took place in the early 2000s in Wuppertal. Lilo Mangelsdorff has accompanied this exceptional project with a camera. The result is a touching film, which focuses on the dancers' stand with their fears and inhibitions, their enthusiasm and passion.
Terpsichore is a captivating exploration of dance as an art form, illuminating the passion, discipline, and vulnerability that transform movement into poetry. The documentary follows three distinct yet interconnected artists: Cece Trapani, an Irish dancer; Aurora Maur, a burlesque performer; and the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC), a renowned contemporary dance ensemble. Through their stories, Terpsichore reveals the universal language of dance—one that transcends genre and speaks to the depths of human emotion. Intimate interviews and behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage offer a raw, unfiltered look at the artistry behind each performance, capturing the essence of dance as both personal expression and a bridge between artist and audience. More than a showcase of technique, Terpsichore delves into the soul of movement, celebrating its power to connect, inspire, and reveal the unspoken truths of the human spirit.
One of the most famous and significant works of Russian literature will be retold in the language of Dance, Music and Light.
Luca Patuelli is an internationally renown Bboy dancer known as LazyLegz. He born with Arthrogryposis, a disorder that makes the use of his legs almost impossible. For the past few years, he has been the head of a Hip Hop dance program: Projet RAD, an urban dance program in which he gives people with disabilities a chance to follow inclusive classes in a safe environment adapted to their needs.
The Finnish modern dancer Noora Hannula dances through this documentary film in her own explosive style. Noora’s life has always been very connected to the artist environment with her grandfather, Simo Hannula, who throughout his entire life dedicated him fully to his art. Noora and her grandfather crossed paths when Noora used a picture of his dead body in her show and now we meet Noora working on her newest show: The Era of No Talent Rising, while she is trying to figure out where her own limits are.
Slow, une histoire d'amour
Filmed in May 1971 in Niger, this short documentary records a possession ritual performed by the Simiri people in response to a locust invasion. The ceremony centers on the beating of the archaic drums Tourou and Bitti, used to invoke spirit forces through music, dance, and trance. Shot in a single continuous take, the film documents a concentrated moment of collective ritual practice, reflecting Jean Rouch’s first-person ethnographic approach and direct participation in the event.
After seeking transcendence through shamanic rituals, Ana’s life is transformed overnight by an unexpected turn toward faith.
An overdressed girl tries her luck in dance events that are for Finnish tourists in a small Estonian health resort town, Pärnu.