Interview with Margot Gelber

Synopsis: A dance film about the push and pull of humans in relationship…on a ledge.

IAG: It’s safe to say that thousands upon thousands of films have been made about the challenges of romantic relationships (or of any relationships, for that matter). But you’ve managed to make a film that touches upon this subject in a totally unique way. How did the idea come about?

MG: The idea came about gradually through my life experiences and my artistic process. I knew that I wanted to create a dance film. However, I wanted to understand why a dance needed to be a film rather than on a stage. After much exploration, I realized the unique perspective offered by the camera was pivotal. Film allows the audience to experience dance from unexpected vantage points—such as being in between the dancers—and brings the setting to life in a way a stage cannot. Additionally,  I wanted the setting to act as much as a character as the dancers do. Once I had distilled these elements, I was able to focus on the story I wanted to tell. This story, and its development, are centered entirely around a ledge— a precipice symbolizing the experience of being pushed to your limit. Sometimes we are pushed knowingly, sometimes unknowingly, sometimes by ourselves, and sometimes at the hand of another. We have all felt this in one way or another, in one relationship or another. Whether that is in relation to a lover, a friend, or to ourselves. Language can be robust but, at the end of the day, words are limiting. 

IAG: This is a film without any spoken or written words, but there is clearly a story here. What was your process behind writing it? Did you first write a screenplay or did you go right into the choreography?

MG: We went straight into choreography. My two wonderful dancers, Jessie and Marlie, along with my co-director and voice of reason, Rebecah, got into the studio and got to work. Most of the movement came from task-based exploration, with everything relating to moving toward or away from the symbolic ledge. We worked with ideas such as being dragged—how many different ways can we do that? Or being shoved—who is doing the shoving, and in what direction?  I knew I wanted the piece to have a strong sense of repetition, emphasizing the cyclical nature of these relational dynamics.

IAG: How long did it take to shoot? How many takes did you need?

MG: We shot the film in about 10 hours, with many, many takes in various locations. We really wanted to exhaust what was possible in this space. We like to say there were three dancers on set—our DP, David Markun, became the third, moving with the dancers the entire time, which created that sense of movement, intensity, and urgency in the camera. We have about two hours of raw footage, which is quite stunning. It was very challenging to kill some really beautiful takes in order to really tell the story effectively. 

IAG: The setting is spectacular. Where did you shoot it?

MG: The film was shot at an Eric Lloyd Wright property in Malibu. He began building this house but decided to give up mid-construction because the city made the permitting process so challenging. We were really excited to squeeze everything we could out of this setting. The location offered so much texture and character to the work. 

IAG: What are you working on now?

MG: I am currently working on developing a new live work. I also have hopes of shooting another film in the next year or so. 

IAG: What are three films or filmmakers that have strongly influenced your work?

MG: Poor Things, Portrait of a Lady On Fire, and Pina, to name a few. 

IAG: What about the great choreographers? Do you have an all-time favorite?

MG: I love and have so much respect for so many choreographers. I would say Pina Bausch, Sasha Waltz and Dimitris Papaioannou never cease to inspire me.