Dreambody/Earthbody

Jun 13, 2013

(Antero Alli, 2012, USA, HD, 80 min)

Director in attendance!

Seattle premiere!

Since 1977, underground filmmaker Antero Alli has been developing a medium of "paratheatre," inspired by the late Polish visionary of theater, Jerzy Grotowski.  Alli's paratheatre is a highly visceral process that incorporates physical theatre, Zazen meditation, modern dance and vocalization to gain access to the internal landscape. For this "dreambody/earthbody" ritual, Alli trained a group of seven in paratheatre methods to execute a ritual choreography, using movements recalled from their nocturnal dreams.  The result is a rare and haunting glimpse into a microculture of asocial group ritual dynamics, normally performed in total privacy. The group also demonstrates a series of paratheatre techniques accompanied by Alli's narrative of his unique creative process.  The film also features participant interviews, dramatic re-enactments of the director's own dreams, and a lush musical score by Antero's wife, composer/singer, Sylvi Alli. 



My approach to dreams aligns with the Surrealists of the 1920's who avoided dream analysis in favor of tapping into the personal and collective Unconscious as a wellspring of creativity, shock, and awe. —Antero Alli

"Alli challenges the viewer to take a seemingly benign concept—the act of dreaming—and dissect its intellectual and emotional aspects until it reaches a state of raw physicality. The individual members of this endeavor slowly move from the unique expressions of their respective nocturnal dreams to an interconnecting ritual where the protocol of sleep-induced dreams blend into a wider dream-fueled community."  —Phil Hall, filmthreat.com

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