Obsessed with Light

Directed by Sabine Krayenbühl, Zeva Oelbaum
Film Movement
2023
90 Minutes
USA
English
Documentary, Biography, LGBTQIA2S+
American Studies, Dance, Women Directors, Women's Studies, Biography, History, LGBTQIA2S+, Performing Arts
Not Rated
DVD $150.00
PPR $350.00
DRL $499.00
PPR+DRL $599.00

To submit an order, request a preview screener, or ask a question contact Erin Farrell

OBSESSED WITH LIGHT pulls back the curtain on Loïe Fuller (1862-1928), a wildly original performer who pioneered modern dance though combining fabric and movement to develop a completely new kind of spectacle. Creating a dialogue between the past and the present, filmmakers Sabine Krayenbuhle and Zeva Oelbaum delve into the astonishing influence Fuller's work has had on contemporary culture including artists like Taylor Swift, Bill T. Jones, Shakira, William Kentridge, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among many others. “A rich tapestry of discoveries by a passionately devoted mover and transformer of light and shape,” (Eye On Dance) OBSESSED WITH LIGHT is a close study of a woman who became famous on her own terms – unapologetic about her body type, open about her sexuality, and protective of her signature, often mimicked, style.

The American creator of modern dance, Fuller (1862-1928) invented a completely new kind of spectacle which combined dance, fabric and movement. She also pioneered the ingenious use of electricity for the stage, even building a glass floor so that she could be lit from below. Anyone who has been to a rock concert has seen a modern version of her lighting designs. Fuller propelled herself into swirling abstractions that made audiences gasp and she immediately understood the importance of protecting her ownership of these innovations. Always struggling against a flood of imitators, Fuller was the first choreographer to attempt to copyright her dances and sued to protect her work as early as 1893.

Fuller shot to international stardom after performing at the Folies Bergère in Paris. Her rise to fame was intertwined with the very beginning of cinema and her Serpentine dance became an iconic subject for the earliest filmmakers like Georges Méliès and Alice Guy Blaché. It was also among the earliest footage ever to be hand-colored.

Cast

  • Cherry Jones
DVD Features

Discs: 1

  • Highest Rating
    "Obsessed With Light is effectively directed by Sabine Krayenbuhle and Zeva Oelbaum. They knit together historical footage with contemporary works inspired by Fuller. What unfurls is a rich tapestry of discoveries by a passionately devoted mover and transformer of light and shape. "
    Celia Ipiotis, Eye On Dance
  • Highest Rating
    "Sabine Krayenbühl and Zeva Oelbaum’s visually illuminating Obsessed With Light has an impressive list of on-camera interviews... all sharing their insights on the significant impact Loïe Fuller’s creativity and innovation has had on them and their work."
    Anne-Katrin Titze, Eye for Film
  • Highest Rating
    "[A] glorious film filled with wondrous things... knocked my socks off.... "
    Steve Kopian, Unseen Films

Gallery

Awards & Recognition

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