Only When I Dance

World Premiere

U.K., Brazil | 78 MINUTES | Portuguese |

ONLY WHEN I DANCE

Female Director(s), Documentary
Tears stream down young Isabela's innocent face as the slender, gazelle-like girl is told she needs to slim down even more if she wants to turn her passion into her career. Like Isabela, Irlan's strictly regimented days leave him no time to be an average teenager. Isabela and Irlan are ballet dancers. And though they have the talent, they don't look like all the others. Ballet has long been the rarified and elitist domain of the white upper class, but these two black high schoolers from Rio de Janeiro's working-class favelas are determined to succeed in this physically and emotionally demanding discipline. Director Beadie Finzi's inspiring documentary trails the dancers and their tough-love mentor from Brazil to New York on one critical, competition-fueled year in their lives.

Finzi exquisitely captures her subjects' riveting performances, layered beautifully with the signature bold colors of Rio. The teens' artistry and astounding physical prowess dominate the gracefully rendered dance sequences. Finzi moves and inspires as she carries us deep behind the façade of each dance to unveil intimate portraits of Irlan and Isabela. Equal weight is poignantly portioned to the teens' parents, full-time champions of their gifted children who gladly struggle and sacrifice to support the collective dream.

Co-presented by

 



CAST & CREDITS

Directed by Beadie Finzi and Beadie Finzi

Beadie Finzi has worked on documentaries since 1994. Her credits as director include the three-part documentary series Gifted and the four-part dance series The Rough Guide to Choreography. In 2002, with filmmaking partner Rupert Murray, she codirected Outsiders, about a cult lo-fi scene in the US, as well as This Was My War. In 2005, Beadie and Rupert made their first feature documentary, Unknown White Male, which made the Oscars® shortlist in 2006. Beadie is also one of the founding directors of the Channel Four British Documentary Film Foundation and the festival director for BRITDOC. Only When I Dance was a selection of the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund.
Line Producer
Nikki Weston
Primary Cast
Co-Producer
Christina Daniels
Director
Beadie Finzi
Producers
Nikki Parrott, Giorgia Lo Savio

CONTACTS

Producer
Giorgia Lo Savio
c/o Tigerlily Films Ltd.
35-47 Bethnal Green Road London, E1 6LA
Phone: 0207 7299845
giorgia@gotadsl.co.uk
Print Source
Tigerlily Films Ltd.
Tigerlily Films Ltd.
35-47 Bethnal Green Road London, E1 6LAPhone: + 44 2 077 299 845
atessa@tigerlilyfilms.com
Main Contact
Nikki Parrott
Tigerlily Films Ltd.
35-47 Bethnal Green Road, Office 2CO4 Rich Mix London, E1 6LA
Phone: + 44 207 729 9845
nikki@tigerlilyfilms.com
Main Contact
Atessa Hoomani
Tigerlilly Films
35-47 Bethnal Green Road, Office 2CO4 Rich Mix London, E1 6LA
Phone: + 44 207 729 9845
atessa@tigerlilyfilms.com