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Chronic Youth 2021: “If I can’t dance, it’s not my revolution” shorts programme (15*) + recorded Q&A with directors Bibi Fadlalla and Barbara Balestas Kazazian

Cinema On Demand

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A faint outline of a young man in a neon pink and blue environment

We dance for joy, in protest, to express ourselves. Dance becomes an act of rebellion. Words can build a movement, but movement can inspire a revolution. 

From the Netherlands, the UK and France, these three short films follow a bold, Black and queer dance collective, a cathartic exploration of race and brotherhood, and a club scene exploring the boundaries between ourselves and others. 

These stories celebrate identity and community through movement and dance. They explore the value of building our own spaces and the power of physical expression as the language of self-identity.

After the film, we're pleased to present a Q&A with Bibi Fadlalla, director of Father Figure and Barbara Balestas Kazazian, director of We Are Night, They Are Daylight, in conversation with Young Film Programmer's Nana Ama and Joshua Castellano. Together, they discuss the short films featured and how they are linked by themes of connection, body movement and dance expression. 

Tagged with: Cinema Chronic Youth 2021 Cinema On Demand

Total programme run time: 64 min

Please note: some of the films contain strobe lighting, which may affect customers with photosensitive epilepsy. 

Programme

Father Figure

In Father Figure, the Kiki House shakes up the local dance community of Rotterdam with bold movements. "Being Black and gay means being two steps behind in life."  A dance group comprising young, gay, Black men, their expressionistic style uses vogue dance sequences to create their own platform for liberty. The driving force for chance comes from within these boys, who are actively revolutionising the dance scene. Every movement is a protest for inclusivity, as they come together to dance, express and recall the paths they’ve led.

Netherlands 2019 Dir Bibi Fadlalla 25 min

The Circle 

Two brothers in Hackney create a powerful and authentic display, which delves into themes of mental health, depression and the psychological impact of life as a Black British man. Throughout, beautifully intimate dance sequences express unseen thoughts and feelings, through a fluid physicality. Stigma and shame are lifted, through the strength of brotherhood and the language of contemporary dance, as the brothers release and honour their grief. Be transported by the cathartic power of movement. 

UK 2019 Dir Lanre Malalou 15 min

 

We Are Night, They Are Daylight

In a pulsing club after dark, two figures connect among a sea of blank faces and wondrous movements under the flashing lights. The interaction between the two protagonists represents the fragile way we navigate between ourselves and the individuals we connect with. Silent in dialogue, the film uses heavy body language and soundscapes to convey a vast spectrum of emotions: emotions that can’t be expressed through words. 

France 2018 Dir Barbara Balestas Kazazian 24 min

How to watch

Please note this rental is only available within the UK

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