Light Moves, Ireland’s festival of dance on film, is back for its third year with a programme that promises beautiful, thought-provoking and cutting edge new work in venues throughout Limerick.
This year’s festival will feature artists from home and abroad, past and present, including Merce Cunningham, Terence Malick, Olwen Fouéré and Tacita Dean among others.
The festival is an opportunity for audiences to watch, learn, film, compose, dance, discuss and participate. The festival includes a special focus on work from Ireland, a participatory project for older people and screenings for audiences aged 4+.
Festival curators Mary Wycherley and Jürgen Simpson invite everyone to “delve into the rich diversity, boldness and vibrancy of screendance, film experienced through the lens of movement and choreography.”
Mary Wycherley went on to describe the new festival’s international standing now in its third year.
“Light Moves is the first Irish festival specifically dedicated to dance on film. Many dance film festivals happen around the world but Light Moves has really gathered the attention of the international community and audience.
“Having an international reach and appeal has always been of central importance to the festival as it supports our local audience to see international works on their own doorstep and also situates the local artists work in an international context.”
The festival has an evening of Irish originated films on Sunday. Mary highlights that Limerick has quickly become a hive of screendance activity.
“More and more dance artists and choreographers are engaging with the screen as a means to make work. It provides another way to create and a new way to disseminate their work internationally.
“The 15 years has seen a rapid growth in the field and Limerick is certainly a hive of activity in dance filmmaking with many artists and students making dance film works here. Each year students emerge from the MA Dance Programmes at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at UL, having studied and made dance films there.”
For those new to screendance and are looking to experience what this welcoming and one-of-a-kind festival is all about, Mary recommends that you dip the toe into a screening of shorts at Dance Limerick on Saturday, 12 noon.
“Go see a wonderful selection of films in Shorts programme 2: Cityscapes and Landforms.”
Featured Artist
THE featured artist at this year’s festival is English visual artist Tacita Dean. Now based in Berlin the Turner Prize nominee has seen her work exhibited extensively internationally and she was awarded an OBE in 2013 for services to British art overseas. She has been the recipient of various awards, including the Kurt Schwitters Prize (2009) and the Hugo Boss Prize (2006),
Film: Event for a Stage
EVENT for a Stage (2014) is Tacita Dean’s first foray into theatre and her first experience of working with an actor. Dean and actor Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones) were filmed over four performances. The resulting film is 50 minutes of the “fierce interplay” between the artists as they struggled to understand and accommodate each other’s disciplines. (Screening LCGA on Friday November 4, 4pm and 5pm)
Film: Craneway Event
TACITA Dean filmed the choreographer Merce Cunningham and his dance company rehearsing for an event in a former Ford assembly plant in Richmond, California over three days in November 2008. Within huge windows looking across San Francisco Bay, the continually shifting light and the ship traffic all contribute to the choreography and the narrative. (Screening at Limerick City Gallery of Art on Saturday November 5, 4pm)
Light Moves will take place in locations across the city including Dance Limerick’s home in John’s Square, St John’s Church; Belltable Arts Centre and Limerick City Gallery of Art.
Ticket are available for the whole festival or just to experience one or a few events with prices to suit all budgets.
The €60 Full Festival Pass gives access to all Light Moves events and screenings. Day passes are available for €25. Individual tickets for the Screenings and/or the Tacita Dean screenings are just €5.
The Light Moves Festival happens from this Thursday 3 to Sunday November 6. lightmoves.ie for more.
Festival Picks
To The Wonder
Saturday 5, 8pm Belltable:
director Terrence Malick (Days of Heaven, Badlands) has created a love story, set against the stunning backdrop of rural America.
Filmed using natural light, the film follows the characters, their interactions, their wanderings “as a sort of dance… and the camera dances along with them”.
Starring Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Javier Bardem and Rachel McAdams.
Short Tales
Saturday 5, 2:30pm Belltable:
With stories about cool cats, singing chicks, talking mushrooms and bright ideas, there’s something for everyone in this selection of the best new short films for children. Suitable for audiences aged four years upwards.
Kids will learn to decorate a cake or send smoke signals or sing with five perfect piggies in these short films with a great sense of fun.
Irish Focus
Sunday 6 from 1.30pm, Dance Limerick:
Light Moves pays particular attention here to screendance activities in Ireland. The films engage with Irish history, culture and identity and will be followed by a Q&A with directors and choreographers including Cathy Coughlan and Angie Smalis.
