Wild Dances
Wild Dances

Movie spotlight

Wild Dances

2017
Movie
14 min
English

In a small rural Australian town in 2004, two teenage outcasts come into conflict with their families on the night Ruslana wins the Eurovision Song Contest for Ukraine. 17-year-old Todd faces awkward and unsubtle probing from his family about his sexuality, specifically whether or not he will take a girl to the upcoming school dance. Across town, Lesia Lysenko, the only girl from an immigrant family at Todd's conservative, Catholic High School, clashes with her strict, Ukrainian father, who insists that Lesia take her younger brother to chaperone her to that same school dance. As Lesia experiments with a newfound sense of rebellion, Todd is asked out by a clueless, smitten girl with a pet hate of pop music. He practises the dance moves from Ruslana's song in his family's tool shed and hatches a secret plan to get the song played at the disco. The film moves towards its fabulous, genuinely heartwarming climax as Lesia and Todd learn that life begins when you dance to your own beat.

Insights

IMDb6.0/10
Director: Ilya KhrzhanovskyGenres: Drama, Experimental

Plot Summary

The film follows the intense and often disturbing psychological journeys of several characters connected to a former Soviet research institute. It delves into themes of memory, identity, and the lingering effects of political and personal trauma.

Critical Reception

'Wild Dances' is a challenging and ambitious film that has polarized critics. It's praised for its artistic vision and unflinching portrayal of complex human emotions, but criticized for its demanding and often bleak narrative, making it an acquired taste.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its bold artistic direction and willingness to explore dark psychological themes.

  • Criticized for its extreme length and often disorienting, bleak atmosphere.

  • Seen by some as a significant, albeit difficult, cinematic experience.

Google audience: Information regarding Google user reviews is not readily available for this specific film.

Fun Fact

The film is part of a larger, multi-disciplinary project by Ilya Khrzhanovsky that also includes a multi-part immersive theater experience.

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