Pina

“Words can only evoke things,” one dancer says to the camera early in Pina. “That's where dance comes in.” This Oscar-nominated documentary puts that ethos to the test; presenting a breathtaking string of world-class dances in tribute to celebrated German choreographer Pina Bausch. Fellow German Wim Wenders (Wings of Desire) directs, presenting the film in a startlingly vivid 3D. The technology, so often applied to summer blockbusters for cheap thrills, once again proves its usefulness to the artistic side of cinema. The grace within the dancers' bodies, both fragile and strong, bursts through the screen and immerses the viewer. Each dancer also gets the chance to reflect on their own memories of working with Bausch---who died shortly before the film was shot---while performing individual routines composed in her honour and filmed around various contrasting German locations. Pina is a testament to a life impressively dedicated to art, and presented the way one imagines Bausch would have wanted; not with words, but with movement. –Jacob Boon