Cannes 2016: Biopic on Loïe Fuller, Pioneer of Serpentine Dance, Premieres

At the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, director Stephanie di Giusto presented 'La danseuse' in the Un Certain Regard section, a biopic about Loïe Fuller, the American-born dancer who pioneered the serpentine dance during the Belle Époque. Fuller, born near Chicago, was considered unremarkable in appearance and lacked formal dance training, yet she became one of the most sought-after performers of her era alongside Isadora Duncan and Ruth St. Denis. She headlined at the Folies Bergère and inspired artists, poets, and filmmakers including the Lumière brothers. Her signature 'butterfly dance' combined flowing silk fabric manipulated with hidden rods, colored lights, and evocative music. Fuller died prematurely of cancer, possibly due to radium in her costumes that made them glow in the dark. The film stars indie musician Soko as Fuller and features Lily-Rose Melody Depp (daughter of Vanessa Paradis and Johnny Depp) in her acting debut. Critic Federica Polidoro notes that despite a compelling subject and refined soundtrack, the film fails to soar, hampered by unconvincing execution and wasted potential.