During a festive ceremony on the closing evening of Cinedans FEST '24 (Sunday evening, March 24) in Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam, the following international prizes were awarded for best dance films 2024:

Cinedans JURY AWARDS

The jury of CinedansFEST '24 

Claudia Rosiny (CH) academic in dance and media studies.

Zeynep Gündüz (NL/TU) lecturer and researcher in dance, media and performance.

Kaveh Nabatian (IR/CA) director and musician.

Best Short Dance Film up to 25' with a cash prize of €5,000

UNTIL

Director & Choreographer: Tanin Torabi

Iran | 2023 |13'

From the jury report:

Until portrays dance as a form of resistance and pushes the boundaries of dance film as a genre by using everyday technology such as mobile phones. The collective way of filming, in which the mobile phone is passed from hand to hand, blurs the traditional roles of performer and cameraman and emphasizes the power of solidarity and collaboration. The jury believes that the impact of this film will continue after the festival and inspire the audience.

Until was made in 2023 at the risk of their own lives in Tehran, where dancing is banned and women are required to wear a headscarf.

Encouragement Award with a cash prize of €2,000

TWO TO TANGO

Director: Dimitri Sterkens | Choreographer: Anibal Lautaro

Belgium | 2011 |18'

From the jury report:

Two To Tango creates a powerful synergy between dance and pure cinema, with a suspense just like a Hitchcock film. It speaks directly to the warlike times we live in, while capturing the beauty and passion of tango. 

Cinedans AUDIENCE AWARDS

Best Short Dance Film up to 25' 

LUCID DREAMING

Director & Choreographer: Emma Evelein

Netherlands, Belgium |13'

In Lucid Dreaming during a train journey, a young woman becomes intrigued by the unknown traveler. During this non-verbal encounter, she experiences how imagination and empathy can be both powerful and vulnerable.

Lucid Dreaming also won a Golden Calf for best short film at the Netherlands Film Festival 2023.

Best Documentary

Q5: THE QUINTESSENTIALS

Director & Choreographer: Sarada Sarita 

Netherlands | 2024 | 70'

Q5: THE QUINTESSENTIALS  Is A 5-part Waacking film series inspired by the energy, feeling and expressiveness of Waacking, a dance form that emerged in Los Angeles underground clubs in the 1970s as an expression of oppression in the Latin and African-American LGBTQI+ community.

Cinedans PITCH PRIZE

With a cash prize of €1.000

Film Project: BOOTY THERAPY

Sabrina Argoub & Lucca Fordham (FR)

Since 2022, Cinedans has presented an annual award to promote the dance film genre and to support creators in the development of their projects. For Cinedans FEST '24, professional filmmakers were invited to pitch their ideas for new projects in which dance and movement form the leading narrative.

Over five days, Cinedans FEST '24 presented an interdisciplinary program in which the two movement arts par excellence: dance and film, united to form their own genre: the dance film.

In the 20th anniversary edition , 104 films from 44 countries were shown at Eye Filmmuseum Amsterdam and on Cinedans WEB.

All winning films will be included in the international tour program of Cinedans TOUR '24

For more information or footage: iris@cinedans.nl