I Dream of Augustine
Cordelia Beresford
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Narelle Benjamin in "I Dream of Augustine" (2004). Photo by Cordelia Beresford.
Presented as a part of Game Changers, curated by Tracie Mitchell for Dance (Lens)
I Dream of Augustine is informed by the true story of Augustine — a 15 year old who was a patient of neurologist Dr Jean-Martin Charcot. As his patient, Augustine was hypnotised and her symptoms of hysteria were publicly exhibited whilst she was held at the Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris. The film was the winner of the Australian Dance Awards (Outstanding achievement in film or new media) in 2004.
The screening will be followed by an interview between Tracie Mitchell and Choreographer/Performer Narelle Benjamin.
Director, Cimematographer & Writer: Cordelia Beresford
Choreographer & Performer: Narelle Benjamin
Dance (Lens)
The Dance (Lens) series highlights outstanding Dance Films from Australia and internationally with artist Q&As.
Like dance, film is conveyed in time. A time which can be manipulated, accelerated, stopped and rewound at will. On-screen narratives are produced by the rhythmic combination of takes, jump-cuts, wipes, fade-ins and fade-outs — where the camera itself becomes a choreographic tool that extends beyond the physical boundaries of the body and the stage.
Dance (Lens) explores the embodiment and disembodiment of dance, speculative stages, screening history and the communal dance of watching from the other side of the screen.
Read more about the Dance (Lens) program.
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Narelle Benjamin is a Sydney based artist now living in Los Angeles, who has danced and choreographed with many Australian companies and independent artists over the years. Narelle has worked on several films as a performer, choreographer and director. In 2007 she choreographed two films with the SDC made possible through receiving the Hepzibah Tintner Fellowship. Her films have won awards both here in Australia as well as overseas, including Best Short film at the Sydney Film Festival and the Australian Dance Award for director Cordelia Beresford’s film Restoration, which Narelle choreographed and performed in. The Shape of Water receiving the Australian ReelDance Award in 2008 and I Dream Of Augustine with director Cordelia Beresford receiving the Australian Dance Award. Narelle premiered In Glass, her first full-length work, at the Sydney Opera House, Spring Dance Festival, and Malthouse, Dance Massive. In Glass was awarded the 2011 Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance. Narelle was the recipient of the Australia Council Dance Fellowship for 2014-2015 and presented Hiding in Plain Sight, at Performance Space, Carriageworks. Hiding in Plain Sight was awarded Outstanding Achievement in Choreography at the 2015 Australian Dance Awards. Narelle and Paul White created a full length work together, Cella, which evolved out of her somatic research as part of her Australia Council Fellowship. Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch included excerpts of Cella (Latin for cell) as part of their choreographic season, Underground, in July 2016. Paul and Narelle and premiered Cella in July 2017 at the COLOURS, International Dance Festival in Stuttgart, Germany.
