The bumpy road of ‘Signature Program’
International dance film project faced unique challenges in its creation
Toronto filmmaker Vikram Dasgupta apparently likes to work in threes.
Dasgupta’s 2012 multi awardwinning dramatic short “Calcutta Taxi” includes the complicated interwoven stories of three men. His latest endeavour is a trilogy of films, each distinct in character but united in dance. The result, titled “Signature Program” by commissioning organization Fall for Dance North, is the big marquee event of this year’s multifaceted annual festival. It came together somewhat serendipitously.
In 2019, Dasgupta produced and directed “Beyond Moving,” an insightful, poignant featurelength documentary about the improbable journey of Black South African Siphesihle November from a segregated township outside Cape Town to Toronto, where he has become a blossoming star of the National Ballet of Canada.
Siphe was not the only member of his large family to find fame as a dancer beyond South Africa. Mthuthuzeli, Siphe’s beloved older brother, won his way to London, England, where he is a dancer and choreographer with pioneering company Ballet Black.
As youngsters, Mthuthu and Siphe would perform a local style of street dance hoping to earn money to help their mother. They never got to perform together as professional dancers until Ilter Ibrahimof made it possible.
“When I saw ‘Beyond Moving’ I immediately dreamed of bringing these remarkable brothers to dance together at the festival,” said Ibrahimof, cofounder and artistic director of Fall for Dance North. “Naturally,
I had hoped it could be a live performance but, because of the pandemic, it had to be virtual.”
Dasgupta, 45, was a natural choice to direct the film of “My Mother’s Son,” a collaborative dance the November brothers made together in London in June.
Meanwhile, Ibrahimof had also commissioned Canadian choreographer Aszure Barton to create a new work for Cuban contemporary dance company Malpaso. Ibrahimof then learned that Dasgupta, who was born and raised in New Delhi, was planning an early 2021 trip to India to visit his parents and work on a number of film projects there.
That being the case, thought Ibrahimof, why not ask Dasgupta to make a film of the legendary Nrityagram Dance Ensemble? They are world renowned and were a hit at the
first Fall for Dance North in 2015.
(By a twist of fate, “Looking for the Dance,” photographs taken by superstar dance artist Mikhail Baryshnikov and featuring scenes from Nrityagram, are still on view at Lighthouse Immersive’s 1 Yonge St. gallery space. Dasgupta and Baryshnikov got to share their impressions of the extraordinary dance community outside Bangalore during an opening reception for the exhibit.)
From Nrityagram, it was logical to ask Dasgupta to travel to Havana to film Barton’s new work. Having a single directorial eye promised a level of visual cohesion for a mixed program of radically different parts.
Then unforeseen events intervened.
Not long after his arrival in India, Dasgupta’s father died unexpectedly at age 69. It was a devastating blow. “He was my
inspiration, my best friend. It was as if I had lost a soul mate.”
Having several film projects in India on the go helped him avoid being swallowed up by uncontrollable grief, Dasgupta said.
The plan, after filming Nrityagram, was for Dasgupta to fly from Delhi to London to shoot “My Mother’s Son,” but when COVID-19 infections in India soared he found himself unable to fly out. In the end, with studio time already booked at London’s Battersea Arts Centre, Dasgupta, using the latest through-the-lens digital technology, directed the November brothers from almost 12,000 kilometres away.
“It was a big help that I’d come to know the brothers personally over the years,” said Dasgupta. “It made our communications much easier.”
And then there was Havana. Dasgupta had been working with Barton remotely for some time before arriving in Cuba. It was not long after the ruling communist regime had been rocked by historic mid-July mass protests.
“Havana felt like there was a war happening,” recalled Dasgupta.
Part of his plan for the film was to evoke the character of Havana with shots of everyday people, and so he set off on a trip through what turned out to have been a neighbourhood hot spot during the popular protests.
“There we are, filming from the back of a car,” recounted Dasgupta. “I noticed a car behind seemed to be trailing us. Then it pulled us over and we were politely escorted to the police station.
“I tried to explain, but they were convinced we were up to no good. I had no idea the stakes were so high.”
Fortunately, word travelled quickly to Malpaso Dance Company executive director Fernando Sáez.
“I don’t know exactly what he said, but it was enough to liberate us,” recalled a grateful Dasgupta.
He was able to complete filming and return to Toronto for the lengthy editing process.
For Ibrahimof, the festival’s “Signature Program” is the closest equivalent to one of its big pre-COVID live performances.
He is still hoping the November brothers will dance together live at a future festival. Meanwhile, his ambition is at least being partially fulfilled. While the “Signature Program” is available to global audiences online, on Thursday it will be projected onto the big screen before a live audience at Meridian Hall, the festival’s principal pre-pandemic venue.