Dance Camera West 2025
Top Picks From This Year’s Winners
For 25 years, Dance Camera West has been at the forefront of dance film, transforming movement into a cinematic language that transcends borders. As the festival marked its milestone anniversary, the 2025 edition brought a dynamic lineup of visionary works, spotlighting the intersection of dance, culture, and storytelling.
From world premieres and boundary-pushing productions to intimate tributes and immersive experiences, this year’s festival reaffirmed DCW’s legacy as a global platform for creativity. With a compelling selection of over 50 films from 20 countries, Dance Camera West 2025 is not just a celebration of dance on screen - it’s a testament to the power of movement to inspire, connect, and challenge artistic conventions.
Here are this year’s standout features, finalists, and winning films that promise to captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression.
WINNER OF BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Rhythms of Resilience
Directed by Vladyslav Detiuchenko
Step into a world where dance overcomes the challenging realities of war. This is the captivating story of professional dancers Kateryna Kurman and Volodymyr Marchuck—two souls engaged in a connected dance amid the shadows of conflict. Set in wartime Ukraine, their story unfolds in the innovative film. Directed remotely by Vladyslav Detiuchenko from the Netherlands, this experimental documentary uses digital technologies to tell a touching and real story. “How is it to be a dancer in a country at war?” – This is the main question that the film tries to answer. It explores the lives, struggles and dreams of young dancers who refuse to give up their passion despite the violence and chaos around them.
WINNER OF BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY AWARD | WINNER - BEST FEATURE DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Lives Beyond Motion
Director Keith Glassman
LIVES BEYOND MOTION, a documentary centered on men in contemporary dance, is a love letter to every creative across the arts. Filmmaker, modern dancer and choreographer, Keith Glassman, follows his passion to explore the lives of an intergenerational and diverse group of celebrated men who have made their mark on and off the stage. Some of our most treasured dancers and choreographers, including Kennedy Center honoree, BILL T. JONES, Alvin Ailey Associate Artistic Director, MATTHEW RUSHING, Guggenheim Fellow, LAR LUBOVITCH and MacArthur Genius, KYLE ABRAHAM, gift us a rare level of transparency and expressionism as they share their sacrifices, triumphs and struggles to transcend economic, racial and sexual marginalization. From the park bench to the Broadway stage, LIVES BEYOND MOTION uncovers rare performances, the legacy of legendary artists and spotlights the uncompromising quest to find individual expression and joy in the art of movement.
WINNER OF BEST US SHORT FILM
Lost Mind
Director: Sara Silkin
Sara Silkin’s “Lost Mind” with LA Contemporary Dance Company explores the personal psyche during a manic episode by following a headless figure (signified by a big coat) searching for everything he lost. He finds a source of healing out of a little coat who crosses his path. The piece feels absurd at first, but Silkin’s storytelling abilities help us sympathize with this absurd figure who holds a heartbroken interior despite his comical exterior. As the duo played by JM Rodriguez and Lori Dorfman come together, there is a beautiful resolve that makes you shed a tear
WINNER OF BEST INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM
Kankantri (the silk cotton tree)
Directed by Gabri Christa
A woman enters a place of worship and is transported to the parallel universe of all her ancestors who do not let her leave, until she participates in their dances and rituals and exits, integrated.
As Dance Camera West 2025 draws to a close, it leaves behind a trail of inspiration, pushing the boundaries of dance and film while celebrating the voices that bring movement to life.
More than just a festival, DCW continues to be a vital force in shaping the future of dance cinema, fostering connections between artists and audiences across the globe.