2019 Festival Programs
2019 SFDFF programs contain both feature length films and curated collections of short films. Each program highlights the power of dance to tell a compelling story.

Documentary | Tells the story of “Ballet for Life” featuring Brian May, Roger Taylor, Adam Lambert, Wayne Sleep and Arlene Philips, with archive footage of Freddie Mercury, Maurice Béjart, …
Read More
Read More
Sat, November 2 @ 6:00 pm Opening Night

Live Performance Capture | Nacho Duato composed the one-act ballet White Darkness as a requiem for his sister. The result is a masterpiece which, according to critics, has reached …
Read More
Read More
Sun, November 3 @ 12:00 pm

Feature Film | Life-affirming debut feature starring renowned contemporary dancer Bobbi Jene Smith …
Read More
Read More
Sun, November 3 @ 2:00 PM

Live Performance Capture | One of the greatest romantic ballets of all time, “Giselle” is the first full length work choreographed by Akram Khan …
Read More
Read More
Sun, November 3 @ 4:00 PM

Live Performance Capture | Created by Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young, the award-winning “Betroffenheit” is a boundary-stretching hybrid of theatre and dance that explores the psychological states of trauma, …
Read More
Read More
Sun, November 3 @ 6:30pm

Live Performance Capture | Staged by acclaimed director-choreographer John Neumeier and produced in collaboration with The Joffrey Ballet …
Read More
Read More
Tue, November 5 @ 2:00 pm

Documentary | Two star dancers embrace the challenge of having one week to learn and rehearse choreographer Ohad Naharin’s “B/olero …
Read More
Read More
Tue, November 5 @ 4:30 pm

Live Performance Capture | Four contemporary choreographers come together for a program that leads the Paris Opera Ballet’s dancers to a new form of modernity where bodies vibrate with …
Read More
Read More
Tue, November 5 @ 7:00 pm

Shorts Program | Eight dance films that celebrate dance as a means for personal expression and cultural defiance …
Read More
Read More
Tue, November 5 @ 7:00 pm

Live Performance Capture | Boris Eifman’s fifth screen ballet in recent years is the result of a years-long contemplation of the great composer’s personality and creative world …
Read More
Read More
Wed, November 6 @ 2:00 pm

Documentary | Portrait of the career of famous Spanish dancer and choreographer Sol Picò. Zooms in on the artist’s more personal side: growing up as a dancer, facing the …
Read More
Read More
Wed, November 6 @ 4:30 pm

Cinematic Dance Feature | Reimagined as a narrative feature and shot on location in Budapest, this film brings the Shakespeare classic, and Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s celebrated choreography to the …
Read More
Read More
Wed, November 6 @ 7:00 pm

Virtual Reality Experience Room Immerse yourself in dance as you virtually step inside the frame with this exhibition of 360°/VR films. SFDFF’s 2019 VR Experience Room features five films …
Read More
Read More
Thurs, Nov 7 – Sunday, Nov 10

Shorts Program | Specially curated shorts program, including works by renowned international choreographers, filmmakers and local choreographers, includes a lively performance by members of Bay Area company Post:Ballet …
Read More
Read More
Thurs, November 7 @ 7:30 pm

Filmmaker Discussion Panels Visual Effects for Dance Films Friday, Nov 8, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Brava Theater Cabaret Room FREE ADMISSION: CLICK HERE TO REGISTER When do visual effects …
Read More
Read More
Fri, Nov 8 / Sat, Nov 9/ Sun, Nov 10

Shorts Program | A kaleidoscopic collection of visually striking experimental films …
Read More
Read More
Fri, November 8 @ 3:00 pm

Shorts Program | Four short films from four countries — Columbia, Iran, China, and India — demonstrate the timelessness of the world’s universal language …
Read More
Read More
Fri, November 8 @ 4:45 pm

Documentary | Showcases the intense fragility and austere beauty of the polar landscape while witnessing the creative challenges behind the making of the dance film “Antarctica: The First Dance” …
Read More
Read More
Fri, November 8 @ 7:00 pm

Shorts Program | From the masterfully eerie to the just plain bizarre, this playful program of short films was created for the late-night crowd …
Read More
Read More
Fri, November 8 @ 9:15 pm

Documentary Shorts | People from all walks of life explore their unique identities through dance in this inspiring collection of documentary shorts …
Read More
Read More
Sat, November 9 @ 1:30 pm

Shorts Program | In this collection of short films, female filmmakers shine light on the many facets of womanhood …
Read More
Read More
Sat, November 9 @ 3:45 pm

Shorts Program | Choreographers and filmmakers shine a spotlight on issues of social justice …
Read More
Read More
Sat, November 9 @ 6 pm

Documentary | Bringing his experience in the ballet world with him, Lil Buck heads back to South Memphis to teach dance to the youth, offering them the chance of …
Read More
Read More
Sat, November 9 @ 8:30 PM

Family Friendly | Matinee program of short animated and live action dance films for young audiences …
Read More
Read More
Sun, November 10, 12:00 pm

Documentary + Shorts | Sharing their love of discovering new frontiers, choreographer-dancer-filmmakers and outdoor enthusiasts Thomas Freundlich and Valtteri Raekallio take the viewer on an engaging journey to a …
Read More
Read More
Sun, November 10 @ 1:45 pm

Shorts Program | In this mixed program of short narratives and experimental screendance, a family comes together to say goodbye to its patriarch, soldiers reincarnate on the battlefield, and …
Read More
Read More
Sun, November 10 @ 3:30 pm

Shorts Program + Festival Awards | Seventeen short films by Bay Area artists celebrating the thriving local dance community. The evening will conclude with SFDFF’s award ceremony with cash …
Read More
Read More
Sun, November 10 @ 7 pm Closing Night
Newsletter Sign Up
Get all latest content delivered fresh to your inbox. Enjoy updates and news about SFDance Film Fest, Workshops, and Co-Lab.