Filmfest | Film Talk & Screening | CUNNINGHAM mit Alla Kovgan

Film Talk & Screening | CUNNINGHAM with Director Alla Kovgan

Choreographer Merce Cunningham is known as one of the leading figures in contemporary dance. He worked closely with musician John Cage and painter Robert Rauschenberg in the 1940s and ’50s. As part of the 5 Friends exhibition, Museum Brandhorst has teamed up with the MUNICH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL to welcome director Alla Kovgan, who has long been involved in showcasing dance in film and who has dedicated her 2019 documentary CUNNINGHAM to this exceptional choreographer.

In an in-depth FilmTalk, Kovgan will discuss the making of her film while talking about Cunningham himself as well as approaches to portraying dance in general and the director’s own use of 3-D technology to bring dance to life on the big screen. Following the discussion, CUNNINGHAM will be screened at the MUNICH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (June 27 – July 6) at 8:30 pm in the ASTOR Film Lounge im ARRI (ARRI auditorium).

Both events will be held in English.

About the film

A mixture of dance performances, archival material, and new soundtracks, including music by Oscar-winning composer Hauschka, highlights Cunningham’s creative period from 1944 to 1972, when he developed his own dance ensemble amid difficult circumstances. During the 1950s in particular, his work as an artist was influenced by his partnership with musician John Cage and painter Robert Rauschenberg.

Working closely with choreographer Jennifer Goggans and the members of the Cunningham Dance Academy, director Alla Kovgan has crafted a fantasy realm of dance alongside the documentary elements she incorporates. Unlike most documentaries, CUNNINGHAM was conceived as a 3-D film. This allows many of Cunningham’s legendary choreographies to be explored anew from different angles.

Alla Kovgan

Alla Kovgan was born in Moscow and now lives and works in New York and St. Petersburg. In addition to her work as a director, she has also made a name for herself as an editor, as seen in MY PERESTROIKA, a documentary about the last generation of children in the USSR. Her work has long focused on the intersection of dance and film, exemplified by NORA, a film about Zimbabwe-born choreographer Nora Chipaumire, which was screened at over 120 film festivals and received 30 film awards.

Since 1999, she has been a member of the KINODANCE Company, an interdisciplinary collective that merges dance, film, and visual arts through multimedia stage performances, installations, and films. Additionally, Alla Kovgan teaches directing at various universities.