William Forsythe: Just Dancing Around? 1996

Directed by Mike Figgis

To produce this intimate portrait, choreographer William Forsythe suggested director Mike Figgis (Director of the Oscar-winning Leaving Las Vegas) should join the Frankfurt Ballet company for six weeks, where Forsythe had been Artistic Director since 1984. A rare choreographic talent whose work is both intellectually and physically challenging, Forsythe makes a clear and articulate case for his method of deconstructing classical ballet. Figgis takes the role of fascinated outsider, pursuing his volatile subject with a dogged enthusiasm. The documentary focuses on the build-up to the first performance of Forsythe's The Loss of Small Detail, and the soundtrack features the avant-garde music of Thomas Willems and Handel's Concerti Grossi.