This April 27th marks the Three Year Anniversary of La Collectionneuse, and as an anniversary gift to herself, La Collectionneuse is fulfilling a long-held wish: to present a night— Chorégraphies et Cinéma— dedicated to the rhapsodies of artful movement in film. The night opens at 8PM with Un chant d’amour, a 1950 silent film directed by the infamous playwright, novelist, and unrepentant criminal Jean Genet. Though long banned in the United States for its frankly homosexual displays of “masturbation, oral copulation, crimes against nature, voyeurism, nudity, sadism, masochism and sex,” the film is far less shock than it is seduction. Genet traces and fixates on the sensual movements of otherwise dangerous bodies, and as always, finds tenderness and longing where others see only brutality. Following, and filling out NAVEL’s beautiful open floor, will be live dance performances by Zena Bibler and Alexsa Durrans performing Institute IDGAF’s “Dirty Work”, new work by Barry Brannum and by Sara Silkin! La Collectionneuse will then project a montage of “choreography” in an expanded sense— scrambling, signing, swimming, spinning, synchronizing— and viewers may watch attentively or freely mingle as the evening transitions to a late-night dance party, DJed by Brian Tarney of Restless Nites.

Dance performances:
“Dirty work” - An excerpt from Saluti, Grace Palmer: Secrets of virtuous cycle management, presented by Institut IDGAF and performed by Zena Bibler and Alexsa Durrans
New work by Barry Brannum
New work by Michelle Barfield

A special mix of visuals on dance and choreographies
Post-reception and dance party with DJ Brian Tarney of Restless Nites

La Collectionneuse is the hostess of a cinematic salon for lovers of French and International cinema and culture.

Every month, La Collectionneuse reaches deep into her stash of cinéma français— and now international cinema— from rare shorts and scopitones to feature film discoveries, from challenging experimentation to lovable classics— accompanied by other media such as dance, music, and/or art performances, followed, as always, by drinks and conversations.

Her screenings are usually followed by public conversations with artists— Assayas, Bisset, Jackie Raynal, Kim Gordon, Bruno Dumont, and Roxane Mesquida— as well as music and art, such as accordionist Andy Favre or Dosshaus’ unforgettable installation for Innocence.

Film still from Un chant d’amour by Jean Genet