Biennale Danza 2026: Frederick Wiseman film retrospective and Molissa Fenley documentary

The Biennale Danza 2026 presents a film retrospective dedicated to Frederick Wiseman, the documentary filmmaker who died in February 2025 and received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 2014. The cycle includes three of his films: La Danse (July 27, 5 PM), focusing on the Paris Opera Ballet; Ballet (July 29, 5 PM), about the American Ballet Theatre in New York; and Crazy Horse (July 30, 5 PM), set in the famous Parisian cabaret. All screenings take place at the Sala delle Colonne in Ca' Giustinian. The retrospective also features State of Darkness: Part Four (July 28, 6 PM), directed by Elliot Caplan, which documents rehearsals for Molissa Fenley's solo piece with dancer Cassandra Trenary. This film captures an intergenerational handover and serves as a historical record of the work's construction. The live performance of State of Darkness will be presented at the 20th International Festival of Contemporary Dance on July 30 and 31. Admission to the film series is free with reservation.