Directed by Lindsay Gauthier
Choreographed by Sean Dorsey
DESCRIPTION:
This Emmy Award-winning, visually-exquisite short is a fusion of dance film and documentary — and a powerful profile of trailblazing transgender choreographer and activist Sean Dorsey.
“Sean Dorsey Dance: Dreaming Trans & Queer Futures” (dir. Lindsay Gauthier, 9min49sec, USA) was awarded an Emmy Award in Spring 2023, and has now screened at almost 20 festivals around the world. The film was produced by KQED/PBS as part of KQED’s award-winning series “If Cities Could Dance.”
Interested in screening this film at your festival or event? Contact Sean Dorsey Dance Company Manager: manager@seandorseydance.com
Watch Trailer
Sean Dorsey has long been recognized as the USA’s first acclaimed transgender modern dance choreographer. In his choreographic work, Dorsey uplifts the beauty, power, wisdom and grace of trans and queer bodies and voices – and has broken down countless barriers for trans artists. In his advocacy and activist work, Dorsey has worked tirelessly for more than 20 years to support other trans/LGBTQI+ artists.
As a modern dance choreographer and as a trans person, Dorsey felt irresistibly drawn to San Francisco with its history of trans and queer resistance and culture. But the city he moved to in the early 2000s was not the city he had envisioned: he discovered he was the only openly-trans modern dancer there, and that no one was putting trans artists on stage.
Dorsey spent the next two decades creating, performing, touring and teaching his award-winning choreography (a fusion of full-throttle dance, storytelling and theater); and championing and presenting trans and queer performing arts in the city, hand in hand with his life partner, the musician, filmmaker and transgender activist Shawna Virago.
In 2002, Dorsey founded Fresh Meat Productions — a thriving trans/queer arts nonprofit with year-round programs including the popular FRESH MEAT FESTIVAL of trans and queer performance, artist commissions, education programs, advocacy for intersectional trans justice in Dance, community engagement programs, and resident company Sean Dorsey Dance.
‘Sean Dorsey Dance: Dreaming Trans and Queer Futures’ profiles Dorsey as he embarks on a powerful new project with his company:
THE LOST ART OF DREAMING is an invitation to embrace expansive imagination, reconnect with longing, connect with joy and pleasure, and propel ourselves toward loving Futures. The company premiered this new show in 2022, and is touring the work internationally through 2024.
At this terrifying moment when trans communities everywhere are under horrific and escalating attacks, this film uplifts the Truth: that trans, gender-nonconforming and queer people are strong, wise, powerful, beautiful, visionary artists and leaders.
#TRANSformDance #TheLostArtOfDreaming
CREDITS:
Directed by: Lindsay Gauthier
Choreographed by: Sean Dorsey
Produced by: KQED/PBS
Producers: Kelly Whelan, Masha Pershay
Director of Photography: by Elie M. Khadra
Featuring: Sean Dorsey, Hector Jaime, Nol Simonse, Will Woodward
Costume Design by: Tiffany Amundson
Wardrobe Supervision by: Krystal Harfert
Production Assistant: Shawna Virago
SCREENINGS:
San Francisco Dance Film Festival
San Francisco, United States
November 6, 2022
World Premiere
Official Selection
San Francisco Transgender Film Festival
San Francisco, United States
November 11, 2022
Official selection
Omovies – International LGBTQ Film Festival (Naples) Naples, Italy
December 12, 2022
European Premiere
Winner, Best Short Documentary
ScreenDance Miami Miami, United States
January 20, 2023
Florida premiere
Official selection
Atlanta DocuFest Atlanta, United States
March 4, 2023
Official selection
Paris Short Film Festival Paris, France
March 10, 2023
French premiere
Best Short Documentary, Festival Director’s Award
Divine Queer Film Festival (Torino) Torino, Italy
April 14, 2023
Official selection
Geelong Pride Film Festival Geelong, Australia
April 20, 2023
Official selection
TRANSlations: Seattle Trans Film Festival Seattle, United States
May 4, 2023
Washington premiere
Official selection
PlatArtístic – Spring Dancefilm Fest Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
June 15, 2023
Spanish premiere
Official selection
Queer Dance Film Festival Oakland, United States
June 4, 2023
Oakland premiere
Official selection
San Francisco Documentary Film Festival San Francisco, United States
June 4, 2023
Official selection
KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival Mumbai, India
June 7, 2023
Indian Premiere
Official selection
FRAMELINE San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film FestivalSan Francisco, United States
June 23, 2023
Official selection
Trans Pride Brighton Film EventBrighton, United Kingdom
July 13, 2023
United Kingdom Premiere
Official selection
ADF’s Movies By MoversDurham, United States
July 15, 2023
North Carolina premiere
Official selection
The Mill of Performing Arts Festival Mill Valley, California
September 26, 2023
Official Selection
Stamped Film Festival Pensacola, Florida
September 28, 2023
Official selection
San Antonio Q Fest: The San Antonio LGBTQ International Film Festival
October 6, 2023
Texas premiere
Official selection
Aegean Docs Athens, Greece
October 17, 2023
Greece premiere
Official selection
International Queer Film Festival Playa del Carmen
November 9, 2023
North Carolina premiere
Official selection