Mu and the Vanishing World (United States) by Paco Beltrán, Jessica W. Leung

Ever since fleeing Myanmar as a child, Mu, a young Kayan woman, lives confined as a refugee and tourist attraction in Thailand. Soon after she becomes a single teenage mother, the U.N. initiates a resettlement plan for the refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border which creates an opportunity for potentially tens of thousands of people to start new lives in the USA. Determined to pursue freedom for herself and her baby, Mu ruptures ties with her traditional mother, her culture and tribe to fulfill the requirements of the rigorous vetting process. Once she finally arrives in America, her romanticized ideas are challenged by the reality that unfolds. As Mu fights to adapt, she begins to wonder where her world truly lies.

Running time: 01:26:00

Let it Dance (Australia) by Carolyn Corkindale

Born of a poor family in Paris, Guy Detot transforms himself through passion and luck into an international ballet dancer, dancing with Pina Bausch in The Rite of Spring and the Ballet Rambert. In 1982 Guy moves to Australia for love,  and  works with the Australian Dance Theatre, before being retired out of ballet and embarking on a journey to use his love of movement to create emotion-driven wood sculptures, based in Penola, South Australia.

Running time: 01:20:25

A Human Ride (Germany) by Kristian Gründling

The transformation of transportation is on everyone's lips, and the future of mobility has become one of the most talked-about topics. But why does it matter so much? If transportation presents such enormous challenges, why don’t we just stay at home? Is mobility a fundamental human need?

Running time: 01:03:56

INactive, America's Silent Killer (Canada) by Karl André Talbot

This film sheds light on a world plagued by physical inactivity among both young and old.

In a world ensnared by the shackles of sedentary living, where the once vibrant rhythms of life have faded into a disheartening stillness, "Inactive" delves deep into the gripping tale of a physical inactivity pandemic. This thought-provoking film uncovers a haunting reality where children and adults alike have become prisoners of their own immobility, causing widespread health repercussions and a profound societal shift. Amid the bleak backdrop of a generation that has forsaken movement for the comforts of screens and convenience, "Inactive" boldly confronts the consequences of this global crisis. It paints a picture of obesity, heart disease, and mental health struggles that have become all too prevalent. But within this narrative of stagnation, glimmers of hope emerge. The film takes an inspiring turn as it introduces solutions that hold the potential to overturn the tide of physical inactivity.

Running time: 00:56:00

Anima (France) by Elsa Poissonnet-Boyer

How do we keep our balance when landmarks change? 

“Anima” is a documentary about ethics and commitment in a changing world.

Through their dances, the film questions five characters: a child, a teenager, a migrant, a pregnant woman and an elderly man, who meet in a collective improvisation and bear witness to their ways of coping with life's movements.

Running time: 00:32:00

Iris (Canada) by Gabriela de Andrade

Freed from romantic expectations and capitalist interests, wouldn't friendship be our most authentic model of relationship? Isn't it there, especially between women, that the foundations of patriarchy crumble? In her film Iris, the director Gabriela de Andrade celebrates this perspective through an intimate and poetic documentary born from the voice messages exchanged between her and her friend.  Ever since Iris, a French-Congolese woman, left Montreal, she has nurtured her relationship with Gabriela through voice messages. In this film, her voice gives hints of a return that exists only through Gabriela's eyes. The film is a kind of affective cartography of their interposed exchanges, Iris by voice and Gabriela by image. A reflection on the bond of friendship and sisterhood  despite physical distance.

Running time: 00:17:00

No Longer / Not Yet (France) by Jacquelyn Elder

No Longer / Not Yet is an intimate observational documentary focusing on the very few moments just before a performer steps on stage. In this interval of time and space leading up to a performers first step on stage we are "no longer" rehearsing, and "we are not quite yet" on stage. Understanding this liminal space is part of performers job that is not often seen or spoken of but without a doubt expected. In No Longer / Not Yet the camera lens makes visible this pre acceleration removed from the performance itself and aims to expose the labor of the dancer as being something more than just the physical or expressive act of “dancing”. What narrative do we have to tell ourselves to make it feel safe enough to take those first steps on stage? Coping with the “unknown” in live performance is a creative act filled with rigor, discipline, and vulnerability. 

Running time: 00:16:38

Parangolé (Mexico) by Abinadi Meza

A parangolé is a cape or cloak activated by the body in a personal performance, individually or in a group; it is made from common and found materials such as plastic, paper, cloth - anything at hand or found. Here, a film is a parangolé - a membrane, a memory veil, enclosing the body and the environment. The environment is

a rainy morning in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; you can hear the morning, and the body inside the morning.

Running time: 00:03:00