'52 Portraits' is an epic love song written to an art form. Dance.
'52 Portraits' is a series of moving image portraits of dancers accompanied by sung autobiographies. It captures the profound, funny and surprising power of their subjects, revealing the stories, thoughts and struggles of dancers in an unexpected way.
Conceived by choreographer Jonathan Burrows, composer Matteo Fargion and video maker Hugo Glendinning. The idea behind the project was to catch both the individual and unexpected brilliance of individual performers, but also the larger collective concerns of dance artists, which accumulate over the course of the 52 films. Originally conceived as a digital project, it began with ideas of the familiar; the common; the shared technological situation. These short gestural portraits were released online every week over a year. These videos now form the chapters of this film.
What emerges in this film is a political and sociological gesture, interrogating the numerous ways artists are subject to hierarchies, stereotypes and marginalisation of any kind. The result is a hugely varied and personal story of what it means to be a dancer.
The story of a former youth boxing champion Jimmy McCabe (Johnny Harris) who, after hitting rock bottom, returns to his childhood boxing club and his old team, gym owner Bill (Ray Winstone) and cornerman Eddie (Michael Smiley).
Following five international riders from the USA, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom and Ireland as they take part in the Mongol Derby horse race in Mongolia. A recreation of Ghenggis Khan's postal system, this multi-stage, multi-horse race over a 1000 kilometers of Mongolian steppe is the longest and toughest horse race on the planet. The riders are out on their own and must navigate with GPS from horse station to horse station, where they change their horses every 40 kilometers, staying the nights out in the wild or with nomad families along the way.
Born in a violent and neglected favela community in Rio de Janeiro, Alan Duarte suffered immense personal tragedy. However, he dreams of finding salvation and building a better future for his son and his community through his boxing project.
Frank wants to be a world champion. His chosen discipline? Competitive stone skimming. A tosser for as long as he can remember, Frank believes that with discipline, dedication and purposeful practice, he's sure for victory.
Inside Qatar’s labour camps, African and Asian migrant workers building the facilities of the 2022 World Cup compete in a football tournament of their own.
Official Selection Sundance Film Festival 2017 - World Cinema Documentary Competition - World premiere
A fierce Surinamese female referee fights for her place in the world of men's football.
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2017 - Dare Strand - Short Film Competition
With exclusive access to six time Olympic gold medal winning athlete, Usain Bolt and his inner circle, and with previously unseen footage, this film tells the highs and lows of his real journey – the work and the dedication, the inspiring astounding unique and true story of the fastest man on Earth.
George Best, Northern Ireland’s legendary star remains one of the most naturally gifted footballers there has ever been. Famously called the ‘best player in the world’ by Pelé, George Best galvanised Manchester United’s five-year recovery from the tragedy of the Munich air crash. His skill and exuberance inspired them to win league titles and the European Cup, even though he was little more than a teenager.
Tragically, his career in the upper echelons of sport was over before he turned 29, the result of his bruising battle with alcoholism and the crushing pressure of modern fame. (After all, this was Britain in the frenzy of Beatle-mania and 1960s youth culture, where Best was dubbed ‘El Beatle’ by the world’s media.) (LFF brochure)
Official Selection BFI London Film Festival 2016 - Journey Strand - World premiere
