World-premiering at Doc Edge (NZ), Return to a Strange Land is described as “a visually striking portrait of the internationally acclaimed choreographer Jiří Kylián and his lifelong muse and love, Sabine Kupferberg. The film is a personal reflection on human existence and the relentless passage of time.” The film is sold by Anisya Kazakova of ANTIPODE Sales International.
“Through poetic and philosophical narrative, Jiří and Sabine explore their profound relationship to art, dance, and to one another,” the film notes underline. “At the heart of their long-standing artistic collaboration are humour and tenderness, celebrating the meaning of creative expression, the fleeting nature of life, and the enduring ability to find beauty in its most fragile moments. Although Jiří has created countless choreographies for Sabine over the decades, this film marks the very first time in his career that he appears alongside her as a central protagonist. Set against the breathtaking landscape of the Dutch island of Terschelling, the film draws visual and emotional parallels between the cycles of nature and the cycle of human life.”
Co-director Olga Malířová comments: “The lifelong bond between Jiří and his wife Sabine Kupferberg is the main theme of the film for me. Jiří himself says that he was not a good enough dancer to realize his ballet dreams, so he became a choreographer. His wife Sabine has been by his side for fifty years. She is his ‘speaker’. Through her dance, she can express his views on the world. She fulfils his dreams with reverence and grace.”
“Jiří Kylián, together with the exceptional dancer Sabine, give wings to their creations. They aim to lighten the burdens of life. Jiří himself says that the theater is like a ship where people board as passengers,” she continues.
Return to a Strange Land is a Dutch/Czech co-production.
Director: Olga Malířová, Jiří Kylián
Producer: Jiří Kylián, Carmen Thomas, Michal Sikora, Viktor Tauš
Production Company Kylian Productions /Lonely Production
Screenwriter: Olga Malířová
Cinematographer: Olga Malířová
Editor: Šárka Sklenářová
Sound Designer: Tomáš Kubec
Cast: Jiří Kylián, Sabine Kupferberg
World Sales: ANTIPODE Sales International
