In a world seemingly gone mad with conflict and uncertainty, works of art can inform, distract, comfort and give us all strength to keep fighting the good fight. As festival director Yvonne Ng points out: “The arts respond. The arts provide”. With that in mind, we invite you to engage with our screendance programming over one in-person and three online screenings. A collection of mostly new work from across the country, these succinct and poetic works exhibit a dazzling range of sensibilities and approaches. We’ve programmed them thematically to make the most of their beauty and technical accomplishment. We hope these groupings inspire and refresh you – happy viewing!
– Kathleen Smith,
Arts Encounters dancefilm programmer
Kinship
Series Three
The Pink Thread
Details to come.
SYZYGY
Syzygy (si·zuh·jee) is an abstract dance film following flashy club creatures on a playful cinematic search for fun. In psychology, “syzygy” describes integrating different aspects of the self, such as the conscious and unconscious, the masculine and feminine, or the rational and irrational. In astrology, a syzygy is a straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon, and earth, during a solar or lunar eclipse, so it’s totally cosmic. Thank you to Never Apart Gallery, Agora de la danse, Oboro Production Studio, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts, Citadel, and the Syzygy collaborators for making this work possible.
Performers: Louise Lecavalier, Rémy Saminadin, George Stamos
Assistant Director/Shoot Director: Sonya Stefan
Director of Photography/Camerawork: Teagan Lance, Maxime Pelletier-Huot
Wigs: Stephane Scotto
Costumes: Antonio Ortega
Makeup Artist: Joffrey Dumas
Lighting Design: Josée Brouillard
Drummer: Rémy Saminadin
Original Drum Recording Mixer: Roger White
Editorial Consultant: Alison Murray
Director/Choreographer/Editor/Sound Designer: George Stamos
Mercy
Details to come.
Odeon
Details to come.
nature is everything, everywhere all at once
Series One | Thur Aug 21, 12:00pm | Register
7Y98D
Details to come.
BARK
Details to come.
Ce qui subsiste/ What Remains
Details to come.
Sombre Tides
Details to come.
the march of time and its stragglers
Series Two | Fri Aug 22, 12:00pm | Register
Everybody’s Headed for the Exit
Details to come.
In Petrichor Daze
Details to come.
Valentine Dumec: Director/Editor
Bob L’Heureux: Director of Photography
Elise Fleske: 1st AC
Ryan Leedu: Production Assistant
Julian Koroluk: Behind the Scenes Photographer
Shannon Lin: Producer/Choreographer/Dancer
Foundry Room: Location
Shawn Bracke: Project Mentor
Colourist: Benjamin San Martin
Kevin Lin: Piano and Composer Jeremie Gutierrez
Benjamin Caufield: Drums
Liam Shearer: Trumpet
Levon Vokins: Recording Engineer, Mixing, and Mastering
Stephen Cameron: Recording Assistant
“In Petrichor Daze” was developed with the support of Mile Zero Dance Society and the Film and Video Arts Society of Alberta for REELING: Dance on Screen Festival in 2023.
Les mots d’amour
Details to come.
Les mots d’amour
Details to come.
Oblique Strategies
Series Four | Sun Aug 24, 12:00pm | Register
Le Néant
Details to come.
REFUGE
Details to come.
Hairy Dreams
Hairy Dreams evokes the interior world of a lonesome yet carefree character. Through words and movement,
this is a visual abstract tale, taking place in a white cave-like space made of paper. Within this sort of origami
igloo, a surrealist puzzle of images portrays the everyday routine of a diligent being.
Through various incongruent actions, the character assembles and disassembles repeatedly its interior
translucent world. In this quest for an interior castle, time is always present, haunting yet of precious
companionship.
The daily routine eventually leads to the ultimate goal: the need to be fed in order to keep the dream
flowing. Towards the end of the cycle, in a sort of oneiric and liberating flight, the character swiftly
disappears into the paper walls of its imaginary castle.
Concept, direction: Lina Cruz
Cinematography: Xavier Madore
Performer: Geneviève Robitaille
Music and credits song: Philippe Noireaut
Costumes, props, decor, text and its narration: Lina Cruz
Sound mastering: Frédéric Salter
Filming team: La Conserve Média
Production and distribution: Fila 13 Productions
This film was made possible thanks to the support of the Canada Council for the Arts and Le Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.
One Kind Favor
One Kind Favor is partially inspired by the Blues song “See That My Grave Is Kept Clean,” also known as “One Kind Favor,” recorded by Blind Lemon Jefferson (1928). This short film marries stark moving images expressing solidarity between the players with the haunting song “Dead Man Singing” in a space between rage, sorrow, and the question of kindness in the face of injustice. Thank you to the Canada Council for the Arts, Le Conseil des arts de Montréal and all the collaborators for their support. Special thanks to Sara Shelton Mann for her creative contribution. “The measure of true kindness — which is different from nicety, different from politeness — is often revealed in those challenging instances when we must rise above the impulse toward its opposite, ignited by fear and anger and despair.” Maria Popova, Marginalian Podcast
Performers: Karla Etienne, George Stamos
Music: “Dead Man Singing” written by Patrick Duff, vocals by Little Annie, musician Paul Wallfisch
Director of Photography/Camerawork: Maxime Pelletier-Huot
Editorial Consultant: Alison Murray
Creative Contributor: Sara Shelton Mann
Director/Choreographer/Sound Designer/Editor: George Stamos
Banner photo by Lula-Belle Jedynak, still from Choreo Poetic License.