Sadler’s Wells has officially revealed the winners of its inaugural Dance Digital festival, a new annual event celebrating the finest global dance works captured in digital formats. Following a massive international open call that drew 415 submissions from 55 countries, a collection of 45 short and feature-length films were screened over a three-day weekend. An independent jury ultimately selected seven films to receive accolades across six distinct categories.
Taking home the award for Best Documentary was Grappling Grace, directed by Misha Novak and Alex Kiehl. The heartwarming British film follows Saeed Esmaeli, an Iranian-British wrestler and jazz dancer who establishes a healing dojo inside a church. Dubbed the "Iranian Billy Elliot," Esmaeli utilizes a unique form of dance-wrestling therapy to foster community connection and resilience. The festival jury praised the project as a beautifully shot, sensitive story with tremendous heart, seamlessly exploring grief through comedy and combat.
Other major winners included DuEls, directed by Jonas Åkerlund with choreography by Damien Jalet and Erna Omarsdottir, which secured Best Choreography for its visceral movement set within Norway's Vigeland Museum. The Best Dance on Screen award went to the Finnish film Kielo, directed by Janina Rajakangas and Sinem Kayacan, which explores neurodivergence and adolescence. Vestiges, a collaborative Canadian project by director Marcus Eriksson and Ballet BC, won Best Cinematography, while Jun Chew’s Still: A Dance Film was named Best Social First Film. The Best Youth Film prize was shared between Brazil's ROUTE and Belgium's Return.
Following the physical screenings, Sadler’s Wells is transitioning the festival highlights to its online platform, the Digital Stage. A series of specially commissioned short films will be released weekly throughout June, including works under the themes "ReFrame the Classics" and "The Floor is Yours." Additionally, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures film Quiet Revolutions is scheduled to debut online in July. Bia Oliveira, Director of Digital Stage and Studio, highlighted the unique power of the medium, noting that cameras can inhabit a dancer's body from revealing angles that transcend traditional theatrical seating.
