unseen dancer

“Coming out to the Dead”. There is no better nor simpler way to express what lies at the core of the psychological drama “Unseen Dancer”. Amongst the plethora of coming out stories from the 2SLGBTQIAP+ global community, there are the ones we cannot do. Either we did not gather enough inner strength before our loved ones passed away, or they just left too early. People going through this situation face a daunting dead end. Standing in front of this impenetrable wall, their hearts are burdened with unexpressed feelings mixed with questions, fears, doubts, and countless torturous scenarios created in the mind. Without finding a specific solution, this is the subject tackled in this short film.

Since we are in the realm of what is unspoken, Unseen Dancer is a musical and visual piece without a single word of dialogue. Following Luca, a gay man who is about to put himself out there and perform for the first time in an underground queer ballroom, the audience will experience an intimate and emotional dual reality of the protagonist arc. As he summons the resolve to open a wooden box bequeathed from his deceased mother in the dressing room, we also witness his first attempt to impress a crowd on the dance floor. Every detail of Luca’s exploration of this legacy is echoed in his performance in the ballroom. The surrealist appearance of his mother on the dance floor not only reflects the coming out he never had time to do, but also a part of his grieving process. The outcome of this mysterious encounter represents a state of mind chosen by Luca, who no longer wants to suffer from his unanswered questions and endless doubts.

“Unseen Dancer” is a vibrant and colorful simple story with a diverse cast and crew that pay tribute to the queer ballroom culture of New York City during the 1980s and early 1990s. These events represent a way for the 2SLGBTQIAP+ community to unite and overcome the stigmas around different ethnic minorities, gender identities and sexual orientations. Luca’s performance is inspired from a freestyle dance called “waacking”, from the 2SLGBTQIAP+ clubs of Los Angeles during the 1970s disco era. On behalf of the whole team behind this beautiful project, we sincerely thank you for watching this film.