FILMS.DANCE Receives More Than 1M Views, Concludes With Final Three Dance Films

Films.Dance, a groundbreaking new global film series produced by and under the creative direction of LA-based Jacob Jonas The Company concludes with the final three films, including TORN on April 19, PLUME on April 26 and, finally, WEAKNESS OF THE FLESH on May 3.

These films are the final three of the 15 original dance films that began on January 25, 2021. To date, the films have garnered over 1 million views across all digital platforms from more than 200 countries. Additionally, the films will be celebrated worldwide as part of International Dance Day on April 29.

The films will premiere at 9 a.m. PST on the Web at Films.Dance, on Instagram on the @films.dance account, and the Films.Dance Facebook page. Films.Dance is co-presented by the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts and Chicago's Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater.

TORN

April 19, 2021

In this visual exploration of the expectations of manhood, three men fight for dominance while exposing the internal fight and dialogue with the self, embodied by the three protagonists. While each of them fights for dominance, they simultaneously expose their weaknesses, tearing each other down, lifting each other up and struggling to find support in moments of fading strength. Berlin-based director Torben Loth captures the original choreography of London-based Waddah Sinada, founder of FUBUNATION. The work is performed by Conal Finn Francis-Martin, Robert Robinson and Jamal Uhlmann, all dancers with State Ballet Hanover, and features an original sound design by Peter Duffy, original score by Pete Fraser and wardrobe by Chinese-born, London-based designer Feng Chen Wang.

PLUME

April 26, 2021

21 acrobats from around the world, from Australia to the United States to Russia, performed and filmed their unique movement styles which were then layered with animation to create PLUME. Despite clipped wings, the artists in Plume perform in full flight underscored by the brilliant music played by noted violinist Hillary Hahn. Co-directed by Francisco Cruz and Beren D'Amico, the film features an original score by Gaelynn Lea, an American folk singer, violinist, public speaker and disability advocate, with arrangement by Steve Hackman.

WEAKNESS OF THE FLESH

May 3, 2021

Los Angeles-based Jacob Jonas virtually co-directs with Ireland-based Kevin McGloughlin, intersecting dance and visual design. Performed by Jacob Jonas The Company's Emma Rosenzweig-Bock, WEAKNESS OF THE FLESH features original music by Max Cooper, working at the intersection between electronic music, visual art, technology and science, the vocals of Hindustani Classical trained Samad Khan, and the cinematography of Shaun Boyte.

One of the most ambitious international dance film projects ever undertaken, Films.Dance engages more than 150 artists from 52 cities in 25 countries, culminating in 15 short films that have been shot during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Films.Dance is being made available to the public at no charge. Two of Los Angeles' foremost cultural organizations-the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts and the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts-have teamed up with Chicago's Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater to present Films.Dance.

Through non-traditional collaborations across cultures and continents, and led by the vision of Jacob Jonas, the series connects the perspectives of diverse artists from a range of disciplines, dance genres, abilities, and experiences. Filmed in locations ranging from Amsterdam, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, and London, to Los Angeles, New York, Nigeria, and Spain-Films.Dance exists at the intersection of dance, music, fashion, and film.

The films will premiere for free at 9 a.m. PST on the Web at Films.Dance, on Instagram on the @films.dance account, and the Films.Dance Facebook page. A series of weekly conversations and engagement events is in development and will allow for deeper exploration of the series themes, creative process, and perspectives of collaborating artists.

The initiative is presented in partnership with Somewhere Magazine, and co-presented by the Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, and Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts/CSUN.

The full listing of films and trailer are available here.

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