Dancing Bears
Humanising the life of bears
Directed by Dominik Hill
Directed by Dominik Hill, Dancing Bears delves into the mistreatment of bears in Europe, weaving a compelling narrative that humanises these majestic creatures. Through designer Danny Reinke's charity collection, Hill connects fashion with the animal protection efforts of Bärenwald Müritz, where rescued bears find sanctuary.
Renowned for his unique fusion of fashion and storytelling, Hill’s work is a poignant exploration of cruelty and redemption, inviting viewers to witness the profound transformation of these bears through compassion.
In your previous interview with us, you discussed the motivations behind your film 'Salt.' Can you share what inspired you to create Dancing Bears, and how does it contribute to your journey as a filmmaker?
When designer Danny Reinke told me about his charity collection for the Müritz Bear Sanctuary, I knew straight away that I wanted to be a part of this unique project, as it has a small but concrete positive impact on our world.
At a certain point in the creative process, I also realised that it had to be a special film that would stand out from the often superficial messages in the fashion industry. This led to the idea of combining the fashion shots with the models with archive footage to show the work of the animal welfare organisation 4 Pfoten in a very concrete way. As I said in the last interview, I often work with the editing techniques of the Soviet avant-garde. In this film, however, it reached a new level, as it was the first time I had edited two completely different levels together.
I always find it exciting to connect two different levels through visual elements. This way of working has been with me since the beginning of my filmmaking.
The inclusion of the archive footage creates so much room for interpretation and also for reflective thoughts about our relationship between humans and animals. I hope to develop this editing techniques further in future projects.
The film Dancing Bears sheds light on the mistreatment of bears in Europe. Can you tell us about the research and experiences that informed your approach?
Of course, before planning the shoot, I dealt very intensively with the topic, read, researched and watched documentaries. I also looked through a lot of archive material from the animal welfare organization Vier Pfoten e.V. about the poor conditions in which dancing bears are kept. Even at the beginning, I was not aware of the mistreatment and torture involved in keeping bears and that this seemingly medieval practice is still practiced in some countries.
I have to say that the scenes shown were also hard for me to bear, but it was clear to me that nothing should be glossed over here and that this archive material had to become an essential part of the film. The film was also visually influenced by this, for example with the decision to use a very static set-up to symbolize the confinement and deprivation of freedom of the bears.
We were then able to see the bears in their new home in the Müritz bear sanctuary. Even though they are doing very well here, as a visitor you can still see from their behavior that they will never be able to completely change their trained behavior.
I understand that the film connects designer Danny Reinke's charity collection with the Bärenwald Müritz project. Can you explain how this collaboration came about and how you ensured their message was conveyed effectively?
Designer Danny Reinke told me that the idea for this collaboration was pure coincidence. Danny was on his way to his home town when he happened to drive past a sign for the Müritz bear sanctuary. He spontaneously visited the forest and was so enthusiastic about the work of the animal welfare organization Vier Pfoten e.V., but also so emotionally moved, that he decided to dedicate his next collection to this topic and to collect donations for the work of the bear forest. When he told me about his collection in a personal meeting and planned his next collection shoot, I was immediately hooked and really wanted to be part of it, because it is important to me that my films also have a positive impact. They should inspire viewers to reflect and take action.
“The inclusion of the archive footage creates so much room for interpretation and also for reflective thoughts about our relationship between humans and animals.”
How was it working with designer Danny Reinke on this project? Can you share the dynamics of your creative partnership and how much creative freedom you had?
I know Danny Reinke and his way of working and designing for many years. He always immerses himself very deeply in the subject matter and world of his collections and, just like me with my films, Danny tells stories and conveys messages with his collections. I then told him about my unconventional idea of mixing aesthetic fashion images with the sometimes terrible archive images. Fortunately, he was immediately open to it and also convinced that it would reinforce our message. He simply let me do it and coordinated the communication with the animal welfare organization so that I could use the archive material. I am very grateful to him for this freedom.
We had originally planned to shoot with the models in the forest in Berlin as well as in the studio. In the end, however, we decided to recreate part of the forest in the studio in order to abstract the whole setting. In this way, I created a clear distinction from the shots with the bears in the wild. I usually work a lot with dynamics and movement in my films. Here I had the models act very statically, except for the dance steps, for example. This is also a symbol of how cramped the bears live and how they can hardly move in the cages.
In any case, working with Danny was very rewarding. He has created a very special collection and it was a pleasure to continue to tell and condense his vision and intention through my film.
How did you approach the cinematography in 'Dancing Bears,' and were there any unique techniques or visual elements you used to enhance the storytelling?"
I usually don't like it when models look directly into the camera. Many models do this because the photographers often instruct them to do so. For me, however, it disrupts the narrative flow of the story; in the cinema they say that the "4th wall is broken" when the actor looks directly into the camera. In Dancing Bears, however, I wanted the models to look the audience directly in the eye - sometimes accusingly and for seconds, as if they didn't want to let go.
I also only ever filmed from one direction, so that it looks like a shop window or a cage in which the models have to act.
The camera movements are slow, the snowflakes fall in slow motion. Time drags on, in captivity you also lose track of time.
Snow was also frequently seen in the archive material, so we included it as an aesthetic element, even though it was quite a mess in the studio. The snow on the bear's snout and on the models' hair and clothes - that's also a bonding element.
You mentioned the importance of humanising the bears. Can you discuss the challenges and creative choices you made to achieve this humanisation in your film?
The humanization of the bears was very important for the intended effect of the film. Only when we identify with other living beings do we take an interest in their fate. This role reversal can make the viewer think, and some viewers were also shocked by it - this was also intentional, of course, and can inspire action.
In any case, Danny Reinke's collection in the film also strongly supported the transformation of the human models into imaginary bears. Incidentally, he also came up with the idea of the nose rings.
Throughout my entire film career, I've been interested in how visual elements in films can build mental bridges for the viewer and thereby create new insights. In earlier films, for example, I did this with recurring, connecting objects or with recurring visual patterns. In Dancing Bears it was also colours from the clothing with striking colours in the archive material or similar movement sequences like the dance steps.
It was difficult to show the liberation process of the bears from the cages in which they were kept to their relative freedom in the Müritz bear sanctuary. I didn't want to show other humans in the form of the animal rights activists freeing the bears in the archive footage. That would have changed the artistic form too much into documentary. Instead, I decided to abstract this liberation process with the help of the models. In the first half of the film, the people lie in chains or have to perform the typical dance steps. Later, they come to rest and feel a sense of closeness and security - just like the bears, some of them for the first time in the Müritz bear sanctuary.
Can you talk about your casting choices for Dancing Bears, and how the actors or performers contributed to the overall message and impact of the film?
The performance of the models was of course a central component of the film in order to make a personification of the bears possible initially. I have worked with the Asian model Tory several times before and she can create an incredible tension in her gaze. But I also thought it was important that each of the three models had their own character. Tory shows herself with direct eye contact, often absent-mindedly lethargic and sometimes accusatory. The blonde model Ine Michelmann, on the other hand, appears rather unsteady and her gaze wanders around a lot. The male model Jakob Weissbarth appears rather vulnerable in comparison with the other two. This gives the bears their own personality and shows them as sentient individuals - just as they are in reality. In captivity, they are robbed of this opportunity to develop their personality freely.
I also find it very exciting that the collection features the outfit of the "tamer" or a bear handler. One person tortures another because they have more power - that doesn't happen with animals. So the movie also briefly addresses the issue that we humans sometimes do terrible things to each other.
Basically, I hope that the film will encourage some viewers to look into the subject further. Despite everything, the film can only address a few aspects. I know that Danny Reinke's collection itself has led to a number of donations for the Müritz Bear Sanctuary and I hope that my film will also make a contribution.
Dominik Hill Director
Dominik Hill Producer
Tory Key Cast
Ine Michelmann Key Cast
Jakob Weissbarth Key Cast
Danny Reinke Designer
Danielle Dragotta Hairstyling
Sam Hill Head-of Make-up
Andre Hyangho Make-up