Since 2015, Cinedans has proudly presented the Cinedans Student Award, sponsored by Canon, to spotlight emerging dance film talents from international dance, film, and art academies. This year, fourteen films—selected from over 100 entries across 28 countries—compete for the coveted prize. 

Dance film in the Netherlands is flourishing! Join us as we showcase premieres alongside some of the standout local productions from last year. We invite you to explore the dynamic growth of the Dutch scene and experience its vibrant potential.

In this captivating selection of short documentaries, people of all ages share stories of profound life transformations in evocative and dynamic ways.

This year, we present three exclusive documentaries and features:
La Singla, a portrait of powerful flamenco dancer Antonia Singla, The Story Won't Die, reflecting on the emotive stories of Syrian refugee artists and We Don't Dance for Nothing, in which a Filipina domestic worker dreams to run away from Hong Kong in pursuit of her freedom.

The Online Specials include a retrospective of Thomas & Erik Bos with 155 - eenvijfvijf, all previously showcased at Cinedans FEST, as well as a Flamenco Special that features the documentary La Singla and a selection of flamenco shorts full of passion!

Dance emerges in response to profound moments in this poetic and allegorical program of international student shorts. Themes of growing up, overwhelming anxiety, sleepless nights, loss, existential quests, and our complex relationship with technology inspire young makers to craft dances that propel us forward, offering both reflection and resilience.

In journeys toward altered states, routines and spaces are upended. This selection of international student shorts challenges conventions and illuminates rituals and stories that defy the status quo. From invoking ancestors to reimagining daily habits, revisiting memories, and breaking through societal constraints, these films explore the cracks in our perception. Each narrative reveals both newfound freedoms and the potentially dangerous consequences of crossing boundaries.

Through attunement, memory, identity and togetherness, this program of Dutch shorts delves into interpretations of the language of birds, the connection to land, the coming-of-age process intertwined with death, the delicate balance between health and mental disorder, and the yearning for freedom. 

Our world is in constant motion, shaped by history and influenced by societal and political pressures. This collection of Dutch short films aims to reimagine and reflect on life stories about our world, while also claiming space for vulnerability, intimacy, anger, reconciliation, stillness, and a sense of home. A glimpse into the potential for transformation and a future rooted in togetherness.

From heartfelt odes to family and personal journeys of gender transition, to communities standing against eviction and immigration policies; this program of short docs reveals the humanity, strength, and vitality embedded in courage, identity, and the search for belonging.

Accompanying the Eye screening The Body Doesn't Lie, curated by Thomas Bos, we present a retrospective on the films made by Thomas & Erik Bos and 155 - eenvijfvijf, all of which have been previously presented at Cinedans FEST. 
155 believes that movement is a language that everyone speaks and uses an expressive movement language to create performances and films that deal with real life. They ridicule serious things and take ridiculous things seriously, not shying away from humor and relatability. Dive in their unique and playful world! 

In the third public program of the Dutch Dance Film Archive project, we focus on the significance of music and sound: their role of creating atmosphere, enhancing emotions, and providing context; deepening the overall experience. The program features Sulphur, directed by Jellie Dekker, choreographed by Leine & Roebana, composed by Martijn Padding, and Coup de Grâce by Clara van Gool with sound design by Alex Booy.

There is nothing like the force of flamenco! In this special we present a selection of captivating flamenco shorts from the Cinedans archive, along with the award-winning documentary La Singla, about Antonia Singla, an impressive flamenco dancer who lost her hearing shortly after birth - a fact that did not stop her from following her passion. 

We Don't Dance for Nothing is a photo-montage love letter to the Filipina domestic workers of Hong Kong. This visual recreation of true memories shared by this community of 400,000 women follows one woman's plan to run away towards her dreams, independence, freedom and the woman she loves. 

Accompanying the screening of the documentary Invisible People by Alisa Berger in Eye, we present another documentary on butoh. Skeleton Dance by Sanna Liinamaa follows Japanese butoh artist Ken Mai, who has chosen a modest life for the sake of art. He is also the father of two small girls, and about to divorce. The film explores themes of life and death through improvisation and association, just like butoh dance does.

The Story Won’t Die by award winning filmmaker David Henry Gerson and Oscar winning producer Odessa Rae, offers a timely look at a young generation of migrant Syrian artists, from rappers and break-dancers to visual artists. An uplifting and humanizing look at what it means to be a refugee in today’s world.

This year's online program highlights a thematic line that reflects an important issue of our time: forced displacement and immigration. Experience stories that bring to light what it means to be an immigrant in today's world. The program includes The Story Won't Die on Syrian refugee artists, We Don't Dance for Nothing on Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong, as well as shorts like Caravan, that features a series of portraits of a young immigrant community undergoing language integration.

For an overview of all online films take a look at the