ISIDORA'S CHILDREN

Following the death of her two children in April 1913, the legendary dancer, Isadora Duncan, created a solo entitled “Mother” in which, in a moment of extreme tenderness, a mother cradles her child one last time before letting him go. A century later, four women encounter the heartrending dance.

„Damien Manivel’s deftly choreographed dance-drama explores how the dancer Isadora Duncan’s powerful expression of maternal grief resonates through the lives of contemporary performers. Consequently, there is an airiness to the flow of events, which isn’t the same as them being vague or freewheeling, for each shot is a vital step on a path laid out to reach one very specific destination. It takes a little while to understand what Manivel is reaching for, but as the film unfolds you relax into the assurance and consistency of his style, and as it continues to unfold it suddenly becomes gripping.“
Sophie Monks Kaufman, Sight & Sound Magazine