Eurêka !
Directed by: : David Ricard, Menka Nagrani2016 / 17 minutes
A society of people with Down syndrome is living in the ruins of a former fairgrounds. They find a mechanical doll, played by the only nondisabled artist of the troupe. The disabled artists grab the doll, manipulating and making her into a circus number. Beyond bringing attention to the unique artistic movement and corporal aesthetics of artists with Down syndrome, this piece questions social norms and reverses power relations in our society.
Our short film Eureka! has been shown in Canada, India, France, England, the United States and Poland
• FICOCC (Five Continents International Film Festival) (August 2017) Audience Award !
• CICFF (Calcutta International Cult Film Festival) Calcutta, Bengale Occidental, Inde (December 2016)
• LVIFF (Lake View International Film Festival), Punjab, Inde (January 2017)
• Festival Art et Déchirure, Rouen, France (November 2017)
• Together! 2017 Disability Film Festival, Londres, Angleterre (December 2017)
• CAFF (Central Alberta Film Festival), Red Deer, Alberta, Canada (February 2018)
• Utah Dance Film Festival, Orem, Utah, États-Unis (February 2018) Winner - Costume design !
• Short Waves Festival, Poznan, Pologne (March 2018)
• kRoki - International Festival of Modern Dance, Cracovie, Pologne (May 2018)
• Berlin Short Film Festival, Berlin, Germany (june 2018)
Trailer :
Le Songe chorégraphique de M. Malade
Directed by : Frédéric St-Hilaire2011 / 3 minutes
Laying down in his hospital bed, Mr. Malade imagines himself in the middle of a joyful ballet, covered in flowers, being praised by disabled dancers, surrounded by acrobatic nurses and wounded men— a choreographic ode to his endured solitude and immobility. Created by Menka Nagrani, this short film leads us to reconsider the limits of contemporary dance and our perception of any form of movement as a form of dance. The choreographic dream of Mr. Malade is a stop motion fantasy, a nod to contemporary and integrated dance, a critical critique of our current healthcare system and an aesthetic presentation of individualism.
Leçons/Rehearsing The Lesson
Directed by : Yannick Alexis Roy2005 / 19 minutes / French, English subtitles
This is a documentary on the creation of our show Leçons adapted from a LeçonL by Eugène Ionesco. An innovated piece played, danced, and adapted for 8 dancers/actors. The themes of knowledge and education are revealed in two universes: the one of the disability and the other of so-called “normality.” The piece confronts the aesthetics of both worlds. A contemporary language emerges in the piece that ultimately transforms what we deem as normal. The film shows backstage footage and moments from the rehearsal process, underscoring the unique and committed artistic approach of Les Productions des pieds des mains.
