THE DAMNED AND THE SACRED
Original language title: DANS, GROZNY DANS

Country of production: Netherlands
Year: 2002
Language: Chechen, Russian
75 mins.

A breathtaking portrait of a civilian population in wartime, THE DAMNED AND THE SACRED presents the current Chechen war through the perspective of a traditional youth dance troupe, its coach, and others in its circle. As they witness bombings and cope with checkpoints and unfamiliar soldiers, the troupe members stubbornly prepare a tour of western Europe. One of the tour's goal is to show that Chechens are just ordinary people. This film, however, reveals people who are anything but ordinary: talented, dedicated, and shockingly professional given both their ages and the conditions surrounding them. Featuring exciting and often thrilling dances, THE DAMNED AND THE SACRED presents a group of people struggling in the most modest and non-confrontational way to declare and maintain their cultural independence.

Director: Jos de Putter
Script: Jos de Putter
Cinematography: Vladas Naudzius
Music: Vincent van Warmerdam
Editing: Stefan Kamp
Sound: Tom d'Angremond
Producer: Frank van den Engel
Production Company: Zeppers Film & TV and IKON
Source:
Frank van den Engel
Joh. Verhulstraat 174
1075 HC Amsterdam, The Netherlands
zeppers@xs4all.nl

Jos de Putter has directed films including IT WAS A LOVELY DAY (1993), SOLO, THE LAW OF THE FAVELA (1994), THE MAKING OF A NEW EMPIRE (1999), and BROOKLYN STORIES (2002), among others.

Friday, March 28
9pm
Biograph Theatre

Sunday, March 30
5pm
Block Cinema (as part of EMPIRE AND RESISTANCE: JOS DE PUTTER RETROSPECTIVE)