We welcome you into the enchanting and mysterious world of SCRY, a short contemporary dance film that merges spellbinding choreography with provocative storytelling. The cinematic dance journey unfolds in an extraordinary setting—The “Magic Mirror”, a Spiegeltent that dates from 1924, made entirely of mahogany and several beveled mirrors, located within the magical grounds of the Musée des Arts Forains (Museum of Fairground Arts) in Bercy, Paris. There are counted to be only six tents like this one, making the space a fertile ground for an impactful and equally unique film.
Inside this exquisite and eerie circular tent, two female dancers embody the essence of modern-day sorceresses, inspired by the enigmatic Three Witches of Macbeth, Damien Jalet’s masterful choreographic storytelling in Suspiria, and the historical weaponization of hysteria against women. The two dancers are trapped within this space, yet they revel in their isolation as they begin to perform their dance, a type of ritual that tethers them together. Suddenly, and without pretext, a third entity invades their space and threatens the sanctity of their ritual. This third “witch” is the camera itself; she wields a power over the two women, who find themselves at the mercy of her gaze and relentless direction. The audience becomes the interlocutor, entering by force into the beguiling and unsettling world of the two women. The film poses the query of who reserves the right to witness, and who abuses this right.
The original score for SCRY weaves an auditory spell that mirrors the film’s mystical atmosphere. Drawing inspiration from the glass armonica’s timeless rolling tones, melded with modern-day electronic bass rhythms, the music envelops the women in its soundscape. Mixing diegetic sound with the musical composition aims to break the fourth wall between observer and experiencer, to evoke the feeling of a presence creeping into the sanctity of one’s mind.
SCRY holds a mirror to society’s relentless scrutiny of women, especially those who defy convention. A dance not only shared between the two women, but also along the sound score and the camera presence, the film challenges the audience to consider how they create boxes within which to place marginalized groups.
[To be filmed in February/March 2025, release date May 2025.]
