Sadler's Wells Digital Stage Launches Motion Picture: New Collaborations in Dance and Film

Sadler's Wells Digital Stage presents a new series of short films pairing top choreographers and filmmakers, launching on Thursday 8 June.

Motion Picture: New Collaborations in Dance and Film opens with Olivier Award-winning Botis Seva and Brazilian director Douglas Bernardt's Inside the Blind Iris; and Air de Temps by two-time NYDC Guest Artistic Director Alesandra Seutin and Ben Williams.

Inside the Blind Iris uses body language, light, camera work and graphic design to tell a story of oppression and the absence of belonging. The dancers evoke spirits haunting the main character in his journey of self-discovery.

Botis Seva's distinct language of hip hop, physical theatre and contemporary dance has placed him at the forefront of dance in the UK and internationally. Borrowing techniques from film, text, art and other dance languages, Seva's focus is on making a societal difference and using his own experiences to drive narratives. His production BLKDOG was most recently at Sadler's Wells in autumn 2022.

Raised in his parents' video rental store in Brazil, Douglas Bernardt has worked with artists including Arlo Parks, Nego Bala, Masego, Gregory Porter and Tom Misch. His short film for Baco Exu do Blues received the 2019 Cannes Lions Grand Prix and his experimental short for Nego Bala was awarded at Cannes in 2022 for Entertainment for Music.

Air de Temps is set in the coastal town of Bargny in Senegal. It tells of an urgent need to speak out, to delve into lost dreams and confront demons. The film is a response to the in-process theatre work Air de Temps for the Jant-Bi II company based at École des Sables, Senegal, and artistically led by Alesandra Seutin and Wesley Ruzibiza.

Alesandra Seutin is an award-winning multidisciplinary performance artist and creator, whose focus is on exploring movement as a foundation for theatre, media and site-specific works. The daughter of South African and Belgian parents, Alesandra was born in Zimbabwe and calls herself 'Afropean'. An inspirational leader with a multifaceted career spanning two decades, she has reached a global audience through her work.

Ben Williams' work has been screened at festivals and has included commissions from the BBC. Driven by a desire to capture beautiful aesthetics, he taps into human emotion and stories in his films. He is a regular collaborator with Sadler's Wells, including creating films for National Youth Dance Company and Breakin' Convention.

Motion Picture: New Collaborations in Dance and Film is supported by Van Cleef & Arpels

Inside the Blind Iris and Air de Temps will be available for free on Sadler's Wells Digital Stage from Thursday 8 June. The films are 10 - 15 mins long and are paired with a seven-minute behind-the-scenes film of each.

Premiere film screening: Wednesday 7 June at 7.45 pm, Lilian Baylis Studio.

The screening will include a behind-the-scenes film and a Q&A with some of the artists.

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