Selected Films to be Showcased at Free Film Festival in July 2023 on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center
LOS ANGELES (January 20, 2023) – The Music Center, in association with Dance Camera West, today launched The Music Center’s Dance in Focus Film Festival: REFLECTIONS. The new festival invites dance aficionados and filmmakers in Southern California to submit their original dance or choreography films
that explore autobiography and self-portraiture, as inspired by the iconic work of Frida Kahlo and choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s biographical ballet for Dutch National Ballet, based on the life of the Mexican artist. The deadline for submissions is Monday, May 8, 2023.
The festival theme pays tribute to Kahlo’s famed practice of self-portraiture and complements The Music Center’s presentation of the U.S. premiere of Frida, which will be performed by Dutch National Ballet from July 14–16, 2023, at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
“The Music Center is thrilled to provide artists and filmmakers in Southern California with a platform to display their creativity beyond the performance stage,” said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. “During the pandemic, we experienced a surge in dance films from performers who yearned to unleash their creative juices cinematically. These bold and evocative works were the inspiration behind The Music Center’s Dance in Focus Film Festival: REFLECTIONS and set the bar high
for the dance film genre; we are anticipating that works submitted as part of the festival will far exceed anything we could have imagined.”
Filmmakers are encouraged to create original works for The Music Center’s dance film festival. To support the filmmakers, Dance Camera West will offer three workshops delving into the art of dance filmmaking with two workshops taking place in March and one workshop held in April. All workshops will occur at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
“Frida Kahlo created nearly six dozen self-portraits in her lifetime, an autobiographical reflection of her life and the accompanying whirlwind of emotions that haunted her,” said Kelly Hargraves, executive director and artistic director of Dance Camera West. “The Music Center’s Dance in Focus Film Festival: REFLECTIONS pays tribute to her iconic works, and I encourage dancers and filmmakers to reflect on their own creative voices and bring the depths of their personalities, alter egos, power, importance,
virtues, beauty, tastes and fantasies in front of the camera.”
The maximum length of the films is 12 minutes, and filmmakers can submit to one of three categories: High School, 18+ Student, or 18+ Professional. A panel of esteemed dance and film industry professionals will choose two finalists from each category. The finalists will be notified about their selection on Friday, June 23, 2023. Each finalist will receive an award of $500, and their film will be shown to the public from Wednesday, July 12, 2023, through Sunday, July 16, 2023, on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center and via The Music Center’s website. All films should be 1920x1080 px, MPH (H.264); acceptable file format: MOV.
For more information about The Music Center’s Dance in Focus Film Festival: REFLECTIONS, visit musiccenter.org/danceinfocus.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
WHAT: The Music Center’s Dance in Focus Film Festival: REFLECTIONS
The Music Center and Dance Camera West invite Southern California-based digital dance creators and emerging artists to submit dance or choreography films exploring autobiography and self-portraiture inspired by the iconic works of Mexican artist Frida
Kahlo who created nearly six dozen self-portraits during her lifetime. In support, Dance Camera West will offer three workshops at The Music Center’s Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to delve into the art of dance-filmmaking.
A panel of esteemed dance and film industry professionals will choose two finalists from each category. The finalists will be notified about their selection on Friday, June 23, 2023. Each finalist will receive an award of $500, and their film will be shown to the
public from Wednesday, July 12, 2023, through Sunday, July 16, 2023, on Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center and via The Music Center’s website.
WHO: Student and professional filmmakers, digital dance creators and emerging artists in Southern California are encouraged to submit their films for consideration.
WHEN: Deadline for submissions is Monday, May 8, 2023.
GUIDELINES:
- Festival features three categories of filmmakers: High School; 18+ Student, 18+ Professional.
- Maximum length of films is 12 minutes.
- All films should be 1920x1080 px, MPH (H.264); acceptable file format: MOV.
- Open to Southern California residents.
- Filmmakers may submit more than one film.
- Film submissions are highly encouraged to explore autobiography and self-portraiture, as inspired by the iconic works of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
- All films submitted must be complete at time of submission.
- Recordings of live stage performances will not be accepted.
MORE INFO: musiccenter.org/danceinfocus
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