Evidentia

In this experimental film conceived by Sylvie Guillem, the choreographers become dancers or photographers: William Forsythe dances a superb solo and Mats Ek films his brother and Sylvie Guillem in Smoke, an oniric and sensual duet.

Ballerina Sylvie Guillem demonstrates her ideas about dance and movement on film. Using her favourite choreographers and directors the results are five short films: ‘Solo’ choreographed and performed by William Forsythe; ‘Blue Yellow’ choreographed by Jonathan Burrows; ‘Smoke’ choreographed and directed by Mats Ek; ‘Movement’ performed by David Kern and Benedicte Loyen; and ‘In the Wind, There is Someone’ performed by David Kern and Brian Reeder.

It is clear that Sylvie Guillem has not focused all her talent on the art of performing series of arabesques and grands jetés, even if the incredible curve of her foot regularly and mischievously appears on the screen. In this film, each artist proposes to clarify the paradox of dance films: “For the screen”, explains Mats Ek, “the aim is to produce an image that is an extension of movement, while on stage we work on the movement itself”. After Mouvement, an assembly of moments of dance and varying images – extract from a Buster Keaton film, slow motion animal races, Greek statue curvature, etc. -, Sylvie Guillem delivers the key to Evidentia : “We have always wanted to film dance, but here it’s just the contrary: we leave the film to dance”.

Bye by Mats Ek, Sylvie Guillem the Place by Mats Ek The Barre Project by William Forsythe Spöksonaten by Mats Ek Sacred monsters by Sylvie Guillem Russell Maliphant by Sylvie Guillem