While in isolation during COVID-19, filmmaker Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin, Sexy Beast) has directed a 15-minute dance film that will premiere online in the U.S. July 21. Nine dancers were invited to perform to a short composition by Oscar nominee Mica Levi (Glazer's collaborator on Under the Skin) for a piece inspired by a "dancing plague" that affected people of the Holy Roman Empire in July 1518.
Titled Strasbourg 1518, the film will launch in the U.S. from A24 on July 21 at 12 PM ET at us.strasbourg1518.film. Watch the trailer above.
To make Strasbourg 1518, Glazer asked dancers around the world to respond to Levi's music in their own way. Minimal equipment was provided to enhance their phones; while run throughs, technical meetings, and the shoot itself were conducted via Zoom. Each performance was repeated three times from different angles, during the daytime and then again at night.
Strasbourg 1518 was co-commissioned by Artangel and London dance company Sadler's Wells, and produced by Academy Films for BBC Films & BBC Arts. A24 is the film's U.S. distributor.
