Dance on Screen -- International Film and Dance Festival
The world's most important film festival dedicated to the intersection of cinema and dance, touring internationally and celebrating films where dance, movement, and the body play central roles.
Overview
Dance on Screen is the world's most important film festival dedicated to the intersection of cinema and dance. Founded in 2001 and touring internationally to multiple cities, the festival celebrates films where dance, movement, and the body play central roles -- whether in documentary portraits of dancers and choreographers, experimental films that explore movement through cinematic form, or narrative films centered on dance.
The relationship between cinema and dance has been explored since the earliest days of film. The choreographed movement of figures through space, the bodily expressiveness of trained performers, and the formal resonances between dance and cinematic editing have inspired filmmakers from the Hollywood musical tradition to contemporary dance video artists. Dance on Screen provides a dedicated platform that takes this intersection seriously.
The festival programs work ranging from documentary portraits of major choreographers and dance companies to experimental films that treat the dancing body as purely formal material.
Key Sections
- Dance Documentary Competition -- films about dance and dancers
- Dance Film Competition -- experimental and narrative films centered on dance
- Music Video and Commercial -- films combining dance and commercial forms
- Student Film Competition -- films by film and dance students
- Retrospectives -- programs dedicated to dance film history
What Filmmakers Should Know
The festival accepts open submissions. For filmmakers who have worked with dance -- whether as subject, formal element, or choreographic principle -- this is the most important dedicated platform available.
Major Awards
- Best Dance Film -- jury prize
- Best Dance Documentary
- Audience Award
Festival History
Dance on Screen was founded in 2001 and has grown into the premier international platform for the cinema-dance intersection.
See Also
For experimental filmmaking, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies. For documentary filmmaking, see Documentary Filmmaking Guide.
