(Andreas Guzman, Hong Kong, 5 min)

Nobody loves Mondays. The return to the grind haunts every office worker worldwide. Paperwork piles up, conference calls overload, and the suits and ties bind us to the monotony of the workday. But even within the overbearing nature of Monday, the everyday working person can find their escape from the corporate work culture and discover their inner peace.

(Carlos E. Lesmes, Estonia, 2023, 7 min)

There is a couple. Two bodies. Two beings. 1+1. Sometimes it feels like only one. This film piece wants to explore aspects of a relationship through movement, through the bodies of the performers. The unfathomable distance between two people. Broke but never broken.

(Elias Djemil, Canada, 4 min)

Between oscillation and cohabitation, the exploration of a body on the borders of shadow and light. LIMINAL. Intermediate space between two states, transitional, intentional, indeterminate and dichotomous.

(RJ Muna, United States, 2024, 3 min)

A dancer struggles with her confinement.

(Mthuthuzeli November, United Kingdom, 2024, 10 min)

The profound question arises: why do certain things compel us to jump up and dance, while others make us want to sit back and do the opposite? The most significant realisation in this exploration is that from the very beginning, we were destined to be moved by sounds. Consider the musicality present in the way we speak. Every language has its own unique cadence and rhythm. For instance, the Khoi people of South Africa employ clicking sounds in their speech, creating a rhythmic quality. Even before externalising it, our own bodies possess inherent musicality. We can observe this in the heartbeat and even in the rhythm of our walking. These natural rhythms can transform into music, affirming that our inclination to move has been woven into the fabric of our existence since the dawn of creation. Reflecting on personal experiences, a childhood memory emerges from the Eastern Cape. Gathered inside a hut, family members would chant while a fire crackled in the sand. The ambiance created by this ritualistic chanting became a favourite lullaby, transporting the young narrator to a state of pure tranquility. In that space, devoid of pain, sadness, or happiness, they found a place of profound stillness. The intention was to preserve the sense of communal togetherness experienced around the fire, a shared moment of deep connection. In creating “Burn from the Inside” Mthuthuzeli sought to capture this communal feeling through the film’s unique approach. By immersing oneself in the collective experience, viewers have the opportunity to delve into individual journeys and explore the expansiveness of the depicted space. The film aims to evoke a trance-like state, reminiscent of the personal experiences of the creator. The focus shifts from visual imagery to capturing the essence of being in a trance. It becomes an exploration of what it feels like to exist in a space where time and space lose their boundaries, and the driving beat becomes the guiding force. In this boundless expanse, one may question the vastness or confinement of their surroundings and the proximity of others. Solos are portrayed with individuals appearing distant yet close, creating an otherworldly sensation of unity while simultaneously keeping a distance. The concept of being grounded on Earth while simultaneously transcending it becomes a central theme. It mirrors the imagined realm of an ancestral plane or a space between reality and the afterlife. If one were to encounter their ancestors, it is envisioned as a place that is unfamiliar, yet still connected to Earth. This in-between world, neither fully alive nor dead, allows communication with one’s ancestors. Such a trance-like state embodies a similar feeling—a sense of being aware of one’s earthly existence while simultaneously occupying a realm that defies explanation. Despite feeling the ground beneath their feet, the soil and dust, and hearing their breathing, there exists a profound sense of existing in an entirely different dimension.

(Will Lemke, United States, 2024, 15 min)

In 2013, members of the Massive Monkees, Seattle’s acclaimed breaking crew, opened The Beacon Studio in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District. After many successful years of growth and development in the dance community, the studio closed in 2020 with uncertainty of whether it would ever reopen. This is the story of The Beacon’s comeback in a city of vanishing mainstays.

(Milad Pahlavani and Mehdi Pahlavani, Iran, 2024, 3 min)

In a world where dance for girls is forbidden, a group of courageous young dancers from Iran dare to dream of gracing the world’s grandest stages, though only within the sanctuary of their imaginations. As they face the harsh reality of societal restrictions, their passion for dance fuels their collective dream. In their dreams, they imagine themselves performing on these prestigious stages, but the harsh truth remains—they can only dream. Through their artistry, they silently protest the ban, shedding light on the power of dreams to transcend boundaries, even when reality denies them the chance to make it a reality.

(Sze – Ting HUANG, Taiwan, 2023, 4 min)

The body serves as a vessel that stores self-awareness. This film initially develops through the sense of touch, picking up traces of various emotions left along the journey. It constantly moves, pauses, and intersects, driven by the power generated through shifting of balance, prompting a dialogue between the body and memory, re-experiencing the mutual influence of “internal” and “external,” thus reflecting on one’s own state of floating unease. As the final note of music fades away, the consciousness of constraints is awakened. After experiencing all of this, is it ultimately gaining the drive to move forward? Or is it discovering oneself endlessly trapped in a cycle like Sisyphus?

(Lefteris Parasyris, Greece, 2024, 9 min)

A group of dancers positions themselves between the ancient and modern ruins of the island of Crete, Greece. Drawing inspiration from its rich heritage, they craft a series of kinetic forms and patterns influenced by folk dances. These installations, whether harmonising with or contrasting against the island’s culture, offer reflections on historical memory and the Cretan identity.

(Gustavo Ramirez, United States, 2024, 6 min)

Living in a world where distractions are at an all-time high, sometimes our only escape are those intimate moments where we can let our imagination fly freely. In moments of relaxation, we often reminisce about what could be or ask ourselves, “who am I”? Suddenly, we find ourselves living that dream— experiencing that ethereal moment where our mind and soul are in complete harmony. We feel at peace within ourselves, only to realize it was just a dream or perhaps not. “Ethereal” is a film inspired by Jorge Issac’s poem “Ve, Pensamiento” (Go, Thoughts), in which he discusses the importance of freeing oneself and fostering creativity, allowing continuous dreaming and unrestrained freedom, as death eventually comes for us all.

(Alysia Fae Klein, South Korea, 2024, 7 min)

Visual allegory of societal restrictions on autonomy in South Korea against the outbreak of COVID.

(Paul Flé, France, 2024, 3 min)

(Mark Durand, Canada, 2023, 5 min)

Immortals is an experimental documentary short film shot in 8mm that explores the introspection of an artist, Bettina Szabo. The film delves into her relationship with her sense of belonging, her body, her imagination, and nature. Sometimes one must lose oneself to find oneself better, and burn everything down to start anew on a solid foundation.

⚠️ Please note: NWFF patrons will be strongly encouraged to wear masks that cover both nose and mouth while in the building. We are not currently checking vaccination cards.