Filmmaker and photographer Anna Fearon's film Movement in Stillness centred around the role of the artist and the notion of freedom. Movement in Stillness explores these issues through the medium of dance, showing how movement and choreography can become an act of resistance and healing during a time of restriction. The film questions our understanding of physical and mental imprisonment during lockdown, as well as in society and the wider world.
Fearon, whose creative practice focuses on centering imagery of Black joy and exploring Black and queer narratives directed the short over Zoom, working together with dancers in lockdown in London and Paris to invite the audience to reflect upon the way in which we define freedom, in a world that does not offer freedom and equality for all.
Anna Fearon “The process of creating the film Movement in Stillness, was a beautiful experience, to be able to make work and create connections through the project at a time of great physical disconnect due to lockdown. Although working over zoom created and entire set of challenges in itself, it became about leaning into new ways of working and
incorporating that into the project, so it became one that evolved quite naturally.” “Maji Claire created a beautiful sequence of choreographed movements that all of the dancers did and then in turn interpreted and added their own expression and personality to through freestyle movements. So it created this beautiful sense of community and unity between the dancers who were physically in different places.
The whole film was directed and edited over zoom, we sent all of the dancers GoPros and some filmed on their phones, so we all had to adapt to working remotely. Beatriz Sastre our DOP did an amazing job managing to adapt and creatively direct the camera’s without physically being able to control them. It meant that the entire project became a completely collaborative process between the creative team and the dancers.”
Anna Fearon is represented by Greatcoat Films