Solo
6 styles. 6 stories. One main protagonist: Dance.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Ola Pankratova
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Solo is a dedication to such unique people as dancers. We wanted to show not only new dance styles that are not really well known inside Russia, but also to showcase new heroes of our generation that are walking among us and day by day creating some very special art. As an author, I have always been fascinated by dancers – how these humans, very free-spirited on physical and emotional levels, could make one fall in love only with a gesture or inspire, heal, or even save a life? Nonetheless, my aim is not only to show their physical advantage but to capture this unexpected flash of a newborn immersive culture, that is now getting a fresh start all over the world.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
We are going to be witnessing how six different dancers will be living their complicated lives, eventually opening up this behind-the-stage world of National theaters in Russia (among which are – Bolshoi theatre, Theatre of Nations, Aleksandrinskiy theatre, etc.), concert stages, dance shows and underground dance communities all around the world (Vogue ball in Paris, Krump battle in Dusseldorf, Poledance world championship in Florence & etc.) The captivating vision of our camera will immerse you into the world of dance like no other and definitely will not leave you half-hearted towards the personal drama of our protagonists.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Solo is a mix of personal and universal stories and is living proof that dance is definitely a universal language. Language of love and acceptance. It's really important to acknowledge nowadays that artists regardless of their origins are not being prosecuted. I can only hope that our documentary is truly what dance is all about - "flags are fiction, body language". Hopefully, that's exactly how viewers will look at our film because we have put so much effort into making it for four years of our life.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
As I have mentioned before - we have created the film for almost four years and were urged to put some processes to a halt several times. The film evolved greatly from being just an arthouse piece of cinedance to a big commercial movie that is being watched and recognized all over the world.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We are so happy that our film regardless of its origins has been accepted all over the world warmly and wholeheartedly by people of different backgrounds, genders and ages. People could relate and find somehow a reflection of their personal stories in our protagonist's life as well.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
We were anxious of the stories of our dancers to come out to be very "local" and could probably leave some details to be lost in translation, but after our first screening at the film festival in India, for example - we had the greatest review from the press and public alike and have been called «extraordinary» by Indian «The Telegraph» - that's when we felt that maybe we've done something right.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I think, I still want to showcase that human beings come first regardless of their origins and that art will save this world. Truly.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I would be happy to talk to journalists about the very complicated path of documentary filmmakers especially taking into consideration where I come from and how hard it is to evolve nowadays in this profession for female filmmakers.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would love for people to see the beauty of art that my dancers are showcasing in my film first regardless. Try to watch the film with an open mind and see how beautiful and pure was their message at the end of the day.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Should we really, as viewers, try to solve the code to a modern art and UNDERSTAND the creators - or it will forever be the preference of a limited circle of people?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
The team of Solo have moved on to creating an immersive VR-documentary Synesthesia. A documentary about avant-garde artist Pavel Filonov and a documentary about outer space innovations around the world called "Plan B".
Interview: April 2023
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Solo
6 styles. 6 stories. One main protagonist: Dance.
Length: 1:26:00
Director: Ola Pankratova
Producer: Ola Pankratova
Writer: Ola Pankratova
About the writer, director and producer:
Moscow-based award-winning filmmaker OLA PANKRATOVA has been making commercial and documentary films since 2014. She has studied and worked on TV in the USA and in Germany as a producer and correspondent. Her independent non-fiction work concentrates on art and culture and manages to combine both: beauty and a highly conceptual story. She writes, directs, produces and occasionally edits, effortlessly switching creative hats when needed for multiple outlets. In 2017 she directed her first feature documentary Yes, Chef! which was distributed by IndieRights Distribution (USA) worldwide and was named as “first ever documentary about cuisine in the newest history of documentary storytelling in Russia”. Ola has been a recipient and participant of numerous international grants and talent programs which led her to currently switch her focus from just plain storytelling of non-fiction to focus on immersive as well. She also speaks four languages: Russian, English, German and Chinese.
Facebook: Ola Pankratova
Instagram: @solo.dance.doc
Website: studiomao.com/solo
Other: IMDb
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Hip Hop Cine Fest in Rome 13-14th of May