New Dutch: Translations of Freedom

Dance film in the Netherlands is flourishing! Join us as we showcase premieres alongside some of the standout local productions from last year. We invite you to explore the dynamic growth of the Dutch scene and experience its vibrant potential.

Through attunement, memory, identity and togetherness, this program delves into interpretations of the language of birds, the connection to land, the coming-of-age process intertwined with death, the delicate balance between health and mental disorder, and the yearning for freedom.

The screening is accompanied by a Q&A with the makers.

Ineffable Shape: The shape of language

NL | 2024 | 13’

Director: Emilia Tapprest, Miri Lee | Choreographer: Miri Lee

In a world where translation is increasingly automated, what understanding can emerge from intuition, improvisation, and nonverbal bodily intelligence? Amid the hum of their environment, two candidates train to interpret the rhythms, patterns, and nuances of a nearby field sparrow. What starts as an exercise in empathy and attunement leads to unexpected realizations about the ‘shape’ of language.

through the roots

NL, RU | 2024 | 15’ | Dutch Premiere

Director: Maria Ponomariova | Choreographer: Daria Titova

As an ode to her grandfather, choreographer Daria Titova returns to the rural land he cherished, in Sokur, Russia - a place deeply imprinted in her memory. Through movement, she translates her connection to the land, her family heritage and a feeling of belonging. A film that speaks of reconnection, appreciation and the transformative power of memory, place, and identity.

Completed

NL | 2023 | 8’ | Dutch Premiere

Director: Hans Lein | Choreographer: Laura Feliu Casas

Teenager Alysha struggles to accept her mother’s decision to end her life, wavering between incomprehension and love as she navigates the weight of the situation. Over time, she begins to understand the depth of her mother’s unbearable pain. A poetic coming-of-age story steeped in magical realism.

Her Body

NL | 2024 | 14’

Director: Daphne Lucker | Choreographer: Jori Meijer, Alessio Reedijk

Sophie, a curious and healthy eleven-year-old girl, is confined to a hospital bed under her mother’s constant watch. When she meets Buck, a cheerful nine-year-old adventurer, they embark on a journey of self-discovery and movement. As they explore together, Sophie begins to question the reality of her situation, wondering if she is truly as unwell as her mother insists.

A Bird named Mansour

UK, NL | 2024 | 17’ | World Premiere

Director/Choreographer: Jordy Dik

A Bird Named Mansour explores a world where dreams are broken and innocence is lost, following children who flee broken homes in search of safety. This poetic film, inspired by Maya Angelou’s words, “The truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free,” highlights the journey toward freedom. Filmed at London’s prestigious Somerset House, it’s a collaboration between choreographer Jordy Dik, the Dutch inclusive dance theater company Compagnie Tiuri, and the renowned Hofesh Shechter Company.