Choreoscope 2023
A celebration of dance and film in the heart of Barcelona
By Curation Hour
Curation Hour network member Choreoscope returns for its 11th edition, which will take place from October 18 to 22 at the Filmoteca de Catalunya and Cinema Maldà in Barcelona. This year, the dance film festival continues to embrace its hybrid format, with exclusive content on Filmin starting from October 23.
Once again, Choreoscope offers a rich and diverse program featuring more than eighty short films, ten full-length features, live performances, and enlightening masterclasses by international guests. The festival's lineup is a global affair, with contributions from 33 different countries, ranging from Iceland to Germany, Canada to the UK, and Brazil to Japan. In addition to its international focus, Choreoscope remains dedicated to showcasing and nurturing local talent, with 28 films produced in Catalonia and Spain, affirming the festival's commitment to fostering the creative synergy between film and dance.
If you are lucky enough to be in Barcelona on the dates of the festivals, here’s a day-by-day breakdown to guide though the event.
Opening Night - October 18: The festival kicks off at the Filmoteca de Catalunya with a tribute to the legacy of Pina Bausch, featuring the screening of Mother Melancholia and Romance by Samantha Shay and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch. Samantha Shay, the director, will be present during the opening to receive the "Outstanding Contribution to Dance in Film" award for Choreoscope 2023.
October 19: Collaborating with Le FIFA (Le Festival International du Film sur l'Art de Montréal), Choreoscope presents two sessions at the Filmoteca. The first, Circus Special, features the short film Raw by director Jean-Luc Oicle, inspired by Cirque du Soleil, and the feature-length film La somme de nos Rêves, a production of the National Circus School of Montreal. The second session, Haiti Special, showcases Kite Zo A, a sensory film about rituals in Haiti, ancient and modern, created in collaboration with poets, dancers, musicians, fishermen, extreme skaters, and voodoo priests, accompanied by the poetry of Haitian author Wood-Jerry Gabriel.
October 20: At the Filmoteca, Más allá del archipiélago features films from the invited festival, DVDanza Habana, curated by Andrés D. Abreu, director of the Cuban festival. It demonstrates the contributions of Cuban dance and audiovisual artists to the genre from various contexts of residence and expression. The festival then moves to Cinema Maldà. Here, the first screening features the feature film Creature, based on the acclaimed production by the English National Ballet, choreographed by Akram Khan, and directed by Academy Award-winning director Asif Kapadia. Creature represents a groundbreaking fusion of contemporary dance and cinema.
October 21: Saturday at Cinema Maldà offers three unique sessions as part of the Official Selection of Short Films, a hallmark of Choreoscope since its inception. Inclusive Dance at 5 PM presents six short films from different countries, including the United States, Finland, and France. This emotionally charged encounter celebrates passion, art, and resilience in a unique screening of dance films featuring individuals with various disabilities. The focus is not on disability as a limitation but as a creative starting point. This session is a collaboration with the Inclús Festival. Following this, Xerinola, a session dedicated to local dance cinema, showcases short films produced in Catalonia and Spain. The growing number of local productions reflects the thriving state of dance cinema in the region. The day concludes with the screening of the Official Selection of International Short Films, followed by an awards ceremony and a live dance performance titled Inseparables, created by the choreographer Sophia Tweed Ahmad.
October 22: On Sunday at Cinema Maldà, the program wraps up with the screening of the feature film Third Act, choreographed by the Belgian company Peeping Tom and directed by Lotte Stoops and Mieke Struyve. The film explores the concept of ageing and the "third act" of our lives. Afterward, Choreoscope 2023's closing party takes place at Candy Darling, featuring a special event titled Twerking Queen. Six short films with LGBTQ+ themes will be screened, with an in introduction by international influencer of Twerk culture, Jack Gómez.
Learn how to get involved: choreoscope.com