THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD DANCE FILM FESTIVAL
Friday, May 31 & Saturday, June 1
The Grange Hall, West Tisbury
Join us for the Martha's Vineyard Dance Film Festival, a captivating fusion of dance and cinema. Following the success of our dance film shorts program at the Martha's Vineyard Film Festival, we proudly present a stand-alone event dedicated to the artistry of dance film. We're also weaving live performances seamlessly throughout the second night of the festival!
CALL ME DANCER
Friday, May 31, at 7:30 PM
The Grange Hall, West Tisbury
Dirs. Pip Gilmour and Leslie Shampaine | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2023 | 1 hr. 24 min. | English and Hindi with English subtitles
Followed by a discussion with film subject Manish Chauhan
Manish, a street dancer from Mumbai, struggles against his working-class parents' insistence that he follow a traditional path. When he secretly attends an inner-city dance school he meets Yehuda, a curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli ballet master who recognizes the young man’s talent and helps him realize his dream to be a professional dancer. A story of hope, heartache, and hard work, this documentary has already won fifteen awards at other film festivals in the U.S. and Canada. This screening is sponsored by Monina von Opel and Edward Miller.
BREAKING FORM
Dir. Alexandra Nikolchev | Documentary | U.S.A. | 2024 | 58 min.
Followed by a discussion with director Alexandra Nikolchev and film subject Jane Comfort
A maverick in New York City's downtown dance scene, choreographer Jane Comfort has been recognized for issue-oriented works integrating text and movement, since the late 1970s. This documentary explores a creatively rich and underexamined chapter in the city’s dance history. Tracing Comfort's metamorphosis, from a polite Southern transplant into a prolific performer celebrated worldwide for bold political satire and irreverent social commentary, the film invites us to be inspired by an artist who defies expectations. Her work urges audiences to engage with the social injustice issues of the day.
Saturday, June 1, at 5 PM
The Grange Hall, West Tisbury
DANCE SHORTS FROM
AROUND THE WORLD
Saturday, June 1, at 7:30 PM
The Grange Hall, West Tisbury
54 min.
These seven international shorts showcase collaboration between filmmakers and choreographers. In this hybrid art form, dance and film converge in a mesmerizing exploration of creativity and expression. These films manipulate movement through diverse perspectives, time, and dynamic environments. Live dance performances by Abby Bender and other artists will take place throughout the screening, between films.
Tickets for these screenings are general-admission and pay-what-you-can. The average ticket is $15. If you can pay more, we greatly appreciate it!