Germany | France | USA 2019
Opening December 19, 2019
Directed by: Alla Kogan
Writing credits: Alla Kogan
Principal actors: Documentary
This visually stunning 3D documentary, full of his writings, quotes, reveals a source of Merce Cunningham’s powerful presence, “No matter how small the movement, you should do it as if it were the biggest possible movement in the world.” This is based on archival footage of Cunningham, his company, collaborators, with Kogan’s new filming of his landmark dances, “not recording work but transforming his ideas for theater,” following his ideas on extending the movement. Energy explodes from his every move, and zooms in so many directions, from teaching himself to knit surprising costumes, to teaching himself Russian, practicing every breakfast for chance communication with visiting dancers during the Cold War/ McCarthy era.
Follow his start in early wartime 1940s, through the first thirty years' struggle to keep a company, and after. His creativity attracted upcoming, likeminded visual artists, Rauschenberg, Johns, Warhol, and life partner John Cage. “We are a group of human beings, we do something, present something. Interpretation is left up to the audience.” ()