the birch grove is a narrative dance film about the reunion of two estranged brothers. As the story unfolds we witness the connection they both have to love and death and how they are transformed at this juncture in their lives. The film is inspired by the THE BIRCH GROVE, a novella by Polish author Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz.

Gabrielle Lansner is an award winning filmmaker, whose work is influenced by her background in choreography and performing. Her fourth short film, “the birch grove”, is currently touring festivals worldwide. Her short film, “THE STRONGER”, has screened at over twenty international festivals and received Best Artistic Director Award from the Lady Filmmakers Festival in LA, the Award of Distinction from the Open Stage Festival in Poland, and was nominated for Best Experimental Film at the Female Eye Festival Canada and Best Cinematography at the VisionFest Festival in NYC. The film is currently being broadcast on SVT TV in Sweden.

For over 30 years, Lansner has explored artistic disciplines moving from pure dance works, to dance/theater, to film. She has always been interested in story and character: creating emotionally complex and layered works that delve into the heart and psyche.

Since 1997, she has been the Artistic Director of gabrielle lansner & company, a critically acclaimed dance/theater company based in New York City. Lansner has also choreographed episodes for Law & Order:SVU, and Law & Order:Criminal Intent, and many musical theater productions.

Performed by: Lonnie Poupard Jr, Matt Reeves, Colette Krogol, Hannah Tamminem, Hela Giaever

Directed & Conceived by Gabrielle Lansner

Produced by gabrielle lansner & company & Roweena Mackay

Production Design: Dean Taucher

Costume Design: Marina Lelchuk

Choreographed in collaboration with Poupard, Reeves, Krogol, and Lansner

1st AD: Oni Brown

Director of Photography: Brian O’Carroll

Editor: Marilys Ernst

Music by Joel Pickard

Lund International Architecture Film Festival, in Lund, Sweden
Wednesday September 9, followed by a panel discussion about dance, spirituality and architecture.
http://www.archfilmlund.se/

San Francisco Dance Film Festival
Saturday October 10, 9:30pm
http://www.sfdancefilmfest.org/birch–grove/

Cannes Short Film Corner
May 14 – 24, 2015
www.cannescourtmetrage.com

Newport Beach Film Festival, CA
Thursday April 30, 5:15pm
Tickets Here
www.newportbeachfilmfest.com

CINEDANS, Amsterdam
Saturday March 14
www.cinedans.nl

The Birch Grove at Newport Beach Film Festival in Newport Independent Online, by Pamela Diamond

“Infused with an eerie Gothic edginess, Gabrielle Lansner’s “the birch grove” paints a somber yet lovely picture of loss, love, and redemption. There’s a clean, sensitive elegance to both its evocative, emotional movements and beautifully framed scenes.”
Read Here

The Birch Grove at Cinedans in THE441(435)Amsterdam
SHORTS XXL Program: the411435.com

“XXL. The size you never want to see on your trousers, but you definitely want to see for length of dance film. My favourite of all the categories, each of the
three films was beautifully filmed, crafted and considered. Equally as easy on the eye was The Birch Grove a sensitive adaptation of Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz’s
Polish novel telling of the reconnection of two estranged brothers both struggling with personal loss. Credit to Lonnie Poupard Jr and Matthew Reeves for
embodying the very different characters so authentically.”

Press for The Birch Grove at Cinedans: NRC.nl Amsterdam

“…These movies you certainly should not miss…
an elegant portrayal of a famous novella ( The Birch Grove )…”

Splash Studios interviewed director Gabrielle Lansner, and editor Marilys Ernst for their podcast blog about the creation of The Birch Grove. Splash-Studios.com