Loïe Fuller documentary screening at NGA featuring former GW guest choreographer, Jody Sperling

Join us for a post-screening discussion with filmmakers Sabine Krayenbühl and Zeva Oelbaum, in person.

Loïe Fuller (1862-1928), the little-known American creator of modern dance, invented a completely new kind of spectacle, combining light, fabric, and dance. Fuller shot to international stardom after performing at the Folies Bergère in Paris in the late 19th century. Her rise to fame was intertwined with the very beginning of cinema and her serpentine dance became an iconic subject for early filmmakers like Georges Méliès and Alice Guy Blaché. It was also among the earliest footage ever to be hand-colored. Creating a dialogue between past and present, Obsessed with Light delves into the astonishing influence Fuller's work has on contemporary artists including artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Taylor Swift, Bill T. Jones, Shakira, and William Kentridge. (Sabine Krayenbühl and Zeva Oelbaum, 2024, DCP, English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Icelandic with English language subtitles, 90 minutes)

Part of the ongoing Art Films and Special Screenings series.