Dance Film Series at Reykjavík Dance Festival

Dance Films Association is proud to present a series of short films for the Reykjavik Dance Festival, a celebration of modern dance and introducing independent choreographers to foreign audiences, showcasing their style of movement and expression in the Icelandic dance scene. Its mission has always been to keep dance close to the people, and pushing the boundaries of collaboration and performance. The three following short films will be played as part of the festival’s events. For more information, please go to Reykjavik Dance Festival. NORA Alla Kovgan and David Hinton, 2008, USA/UK; 35m Choreographed by Nora Chipaumire, and produced by Joan Frosch, NORA is a dense and swiftly moving poem of  sound and image, alternately tragic and comic. A fiercely embattled African girl experiences the joys and disappointments of love, and struggles against intimidation and violence to gain her independence. Shot entirely on location in Southern Africa, NORA includes a multitude of local performers and dancers of all ages, from schoolchildren to grandmothers, with rousing music by Zimbabwean legend Thomas Mapfumo. HORIZON OF EXILE Isabel Rocamora, United Kingdom/Spain, 2007; 22m  A journey of two women across timeless desert landscapes is punctuated by spoken testimonies of Iraqi exiles. Set to a soundtrack by Jivan Gasparyan with the hypnotic voice of Surma Hamid, an Iraqi exile now living in London, the bodies betray a serene violence, travelling as though released from consciousness or gravity, falling and recuperating, haunted by an irrepressible past. SHAKE OFF Hans Beenhakker, The Netherlands, 2007; 9m, 35mm  Prince Credell solos in this HD-recorded dance film in one continous shot. The camera follows an exceptional dancer as he moves magically through different times and spaces. The athleticism and bold surprises lure the viewer into a dynamic world which teeters between the impossible and the real. The dancer can’t or won’t stop dancing till he finds his goal. Best Artist Performance Award at Golden Lion International Film Festival, Swaziland South Africa.