UNBOUND
original title: UNBOUND
2024, 92 min., color, English
CATEGORY : LGBTQ
DOCUMENTARY CATEGORIES : Art / Music / Literature / Culture, Social / Society / Human
COUNTRIES: Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain
PRODUCTION : BUDGET : 160 000 euro
FESTIVALS & AWARDS
CAST
Lisa-Maria Vervoort, Stanka Pincekova, Chase Johnsey, Reo Morikawa
CREW
Director s : Screenplay : John EnglishCinematographer : Tom Garner
Producers : Sara Gibbings, John English, Tom Garner
COMMENTS
FESTIVALS: Salt Spring Film Festival 2025, Reframe Film Festival 2025, Borderlines Film Festival 2025, FIPADOC 2025, Central Scotland Doc Fest 2024, DocsBarcelona 2024 (World / National Premiere)
SYNOPSIS
A story of resistance, recovery & groundbreaking dance.
Discrimination, body shaming & violence. This is ballet in 2024. But a group of defiant dancers, survivors of industry abuse, want to form a radical, diverse company that opens its doors to others who have also suffered abuse, and give these talented, traumatised survivors a chance to fight back, on stage.
They find a run down studio, and Chase Johnsey, a gender fluid dance insurgent, to direct them. But, they have no money, no reputation, and Chase has never directed before. The dancers are brave, but young and deeply fragile. They must confront their traumas and find belief, if they are ever to take the stage again. It is a journey of pain, hope, and above all resistance -to fight for justice, change lives, and create groundbreaking, liberated ballet- one choreographed step at a time.
PRESS
Through the ups and the downs, Unbound leaves nothing out. It gives a true, raw, and open account of what they’ve all endured. The camera crew make us privy to every emotion and every thought going through each dancer’s head… Unbound helps give voice to the voiceless in this gut-wrenching journey with Ballet de Barcelona. Displays of humanity, of joy, of sadness – Unbound will guide you along the way as you watch these dancers bloom into a second chance with the industry that so harshly failed them. – Emma Christie, Brig News
With tactful storytelling from its directors, the documentary style is skilfully used as a platform to mediate change. Infectious energy radiates from the screen, inspiring awe and advocating for change…This isn’t Black Swan, this is real life. – Audrey Yeung and Livvie Wharmby, The Student
“We always look for stories that find lightness out of the dark. Defiant joy is something that’s really important to us…[…] There’s a culture of silence within ballet – if you talk, if you complain, you don’t get cast. It has suppressed a lot of really important stories from coming out.” – John English to Emma Christie, Brig News