What is Dance Film?

Dancers and filmmakers have worked together since the invention of the motion picture, but the “dance film” genre has exploded in recent years as digital technologies have become more accessible to independent artists. Today’s dance films encompass a diverse array of interpretations and include contributions from visual artists, animators, composers, designers, and beyond.

Our programming covers this broad spectrum by highlighting everything from “screendance”, short experimental dance pieces created specifically for the camera, to live performance captures from the world’s great international stages. Feature documentaries focus on the process of creating dance — from historical profiles to behind-the-scenes views of today’s most innovative choreographers — and narrative works find innovative ways to tell stories through movement.

In our thorough curation process, we consider dance-based films of all lengths, genres, dance forms, and budgets, made by artists of all backgrounds and levels of experience. We aim to represent a diverse cross-section of the dance community while highlighting work that stands out as risk-taking and innovative. For information about submitting a film to the San Francisco Dance Film Festival, please visit our submissions webpage.

Types of Dance Film

Dance Film SF and the San Francisco Dance Film Festival proudly present a wide range of dance films, offering something for diehard dance fans and newcomers alike. Common genres we feature include art/experimental, documentary, live performance film, music video, narrative, and screendance.

Art/Experimental Film

Our Art/Experimental category includes dance-related video art, animation, and experimental short films. These films are often nontraditional, avant-garde works that innovatively explore movement, visual composition, and cinematic techniques. They commonly prioritize abstract expression, mood, and artistic exploration over linear storytelling, using unconventional editing, sound, and imagery to challenge perception and evoke emotion. They push the boundaries of both dance and film, creating unique, thought-provoking experiences.

Recent SFDFF award-winning Art/Experimental films include:

A bald, purple-skinned humanoid alien lays with their head resting on their arms on top of the dirt. There is a lake surrounded by woods in the background.

LUCE

Build or Destroy

Eleven Degrees of Freedom

True Sound Facade

Documentary Film (Feature and Short)

In the context of our festival, Documentary films are non-fiction works that profile a dance artist, dance company, choreographic process, dance history, or other related subjects. These films often feature interviews, archival footage, or voiceovers alongside dance sequences to explore social, historical, or artistic topics. They may blend elements of traditional documentary filmmaking with dance as a primary storytelling medium. Documentary Shorts run 30 minutes or less, while Documentary Features are longer.

Recent SFDFF award-winning Documentary films include:

A Cambodian dancer poses with his palms pressed together in front of him, fingers splayed. He wears a white collared shirt and a bright light shines on his face. Behind him is another Cambodian dancer wearing an ornate costume, gold bangles, and an elaborate gold headdress. Her left arm is extended in front of her, forearm bent upwards at a 90 degree angle, with her splayed fingers holding a shiny ball.

Pol Pot Dancing

A child sits in a classroom, gazing solemnly into the camera lens. Behind him are his classmates standing on and sitting at desks. On holds his arms to his sides, index fingers pointed upwards. Another has his hands together in a praying position, eyes closed.

Caravane

Then Comes The Body

Dancing in A-Yard

Live Performance Film

Live Performance films are recordings of dance works originally created as live stage performances. They use multiple camera angles to enhance the audience’s perspective, offering dynamic views of the choreography and artistry. While remaining faithful to the original performance staging, they also leverage film techniques to create a more immersive cinematic experience.

Recent SFDFF award-winning Live Performance films include:

In dim, blue light, a man in a 1910s style hat and suit looks into the distance past the low brim of his hat. His face is intense and angry. Two men stand behind him, looking in the same direction.

Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby

SAUDADE

Hofesh Shechter’s Political Mother: The Final Cut

Betroffenheit

Music Video

Music Videos are short films that visually interpret a song through dance and movement. They combine choreography, cinematography, and other visual elements to enhance the music’s rhythm, mood, and narrative. These films often showcase creative storytelling and dynamic dance compositions, making them a compelling fusion of music and movement on screen.

Recent SFDFF award-winning Music Videos include:

Feel

Spar With Trump

Note: our Music Video category only includes official music videos of musical artists. Films using a musician’s licensed music without an official connection to the artist are considered screendance films.

Narrative Dance Film

Narrative dance films are structured around specific fictional storylines. Their narratives can range from abstract to linear, weaving their plots with choreography, text, or a combination of both. Key elements of their cinematic storytelling typically include acting, dialogue, location, and set design.

Recent SFDFF award-winning Narrative films include:

A woman with short brown hair is in a tango hold with a gray haired man with a beard. He wears a forest green suit jacket as they dance beneath a crystal chandelier.

TWO TO TANGO

Regret To Inform You

God’s Daughter Dances

Screendance Film

Screendance films merge dance and cinematography, creating works designed specifically for the screen rather than the stage. They use camera movement, editing, and visual effects to reframe choreography in ways that aren’t possible in a live performance. By blending movement with filmmaking techniques, screendance offers dynamic visual experiences.

Recent SFDFF award-winning Screendance films include: