I often think that if cinematography and slow motion had a love child it would be dance. Take excellent movers in good wardrobe, great lighting and editing beautifully captured on film in compelling locations, shoot it in slow motion and you’ve almost always got gorgeous moments. Maybe it’s because these elements allow us the rare opportunity to slow down time, reflect, revisit, and really see both the poetry of the mundane and what we miss when life in motion goes by at its normal pace.

This seemed fitting to me for an end of the year post when the winter light, short days and colder weather pull us inward… Always a time to take stock, reflect on a year gone by — its hits and misses both personally and globally, and think about how we want to move forward in the year ahead.

Thus my pick for the end of 2018 is this lovely NOWNESS film Static Motion. With music by Vivaldi beautifully interpreted by Cecilia Bartoli, Static Motion is a collaboration between dancer Saul Nash and filmmaker Fx Goby. Beautifully shot from unique angles in a variety of ordinary locations around London, the all male cast of dancers, their fashionable sportswear, the movement, and of course the slow motion make us see each place, moment, and dancer as having their own particular kind of beauty.

I love the opening moments where the dancers acknowledge the camera and look straight at us. And most incredibly apropos is the wonderful thought offered up by filmmaker Goby in the liner notes:

“The idea of this film is to show that grace can be found everywhere.”

Wishing Happy Holidays to all. Enjoy.