The Yellow Room
In a series of increasingly lush and intimate encounters, two dancers are forced to confront each other and themselves, exploring the expansion of identity beyond solely masculine or feminine.
-
Kitty McNameeDirector
-
Kitty McNameeProducer
-
Jim DoyleProducer
-
Jessica GadzinskiKey Cast
-
Junji DezakiKey Cast
-
Jim DoyleDirector of Photography
-
Lachlan TurczanCamera Operator
-
Arielle ZakowskiEditor
-
Ali HelnweinComposer
-
Project Type:Short
-
Genres:Dance, Experimental
-
Runtime:4 minutes 46 seconds
-
Completion Date:July 19, 2017
-
Country of Origin:United States
-
Country of Filming:United States
-
Language:English
-
Shooting Format:HDV
-
Aspect Ratio:1.78
-
Film Color:Color
-
First-time Filmmaker:Yes
-
Student Project:No
-
Kerry Film FestivalKillarney, Co. Kerry
Ireland
October 20, 2017
World Premiere
Nominated for Best Original Score -
Olympia Film FestivalOlympia, Washington
United States
November 10, 2017
North American Premiere
Official Selection -
Best Shorts Competition
United States
Award of Merit - Women Filmmakers -
Contact Dance Film FestivalPortland, Oregon
United States
April 13, 2018
Official Selection -
Paris Independent Film FestivalParis
France
November 19, 2017
WINNER - BEST EXPERIMENTAL FILM -
Short Waves FestivalPoznán
Poland
March 20, 2018
Official Selection -
Dance Camera WestLos Angeles, California
United States
April 12, 2018
Official Selection -
Fastnet Film FestivalSchull
Ireland
May 23, 2018
Shortlisted - Best Arthouse Film -
River Film FestivalPadova
Italy
June 29, 2018
Official Selection -
Dublin International Film FestivalDublin
Ireland
Semi Finalist -
Oxford International Film FestivalOxford
United Kingdom
May 12, 2018 -
Cascadia Dance & Cinema FestivalVancouver
Canada
June 3, 2018 -
Santa Cruz International Film FestivalSanta Cruz
Argentina
April 27, 2018
Best Experimental Film -
WorldFest-Houston International Film & Video FestivalHouston, Texas
United States
Award Winner -
Breckenridge Film FestivalBreckenridge, CO
United States
September 20, 2018 -
Seattle Transmedia & Independent Film FestivalSeattle, WA
United States
July 26, 2018 -
Middlebury New Filmakers FestivalMiddlebury, VT
August 25, 2018 -
Skyline Indie Film FestWinchester, VA
United States
September 8, 2018 -
CAPITOL Dance & Cinema FestivalWashington, DC
United States
September 8, 2018 -
HollyShorts Film FestivalLos Angeles, CA
United States
August 9, 2018 -
Light Moves Festival of ScreendanceLimerick
Ireland
November 9, 2018 -
30 Girona Film FestivalGirona, Catalonia
Spain
September 28, 2018 -
San Francisco Dance Film FestivalSan Francisco, California
United States
October 13, 2018 -
Liverpool Film FestivalLiverpool
United Kingdom
October 14, 2018 -
Dance on Camera FestivalPort Townsend, WA
United States
March 9, 2019 -
Blue Danube Film FestivalVienna
Austria
November 24, 2018 -
Newport Beach Film FestivalNewport Beach, CA
United States
April 25, 2019 -
Grand Park's Our LA VoicesLos Angeles, CA
United States
April 27, 2019 -
Austin Dance FestivalAustin, Texas
United States
April 3, 2020
Los Angeles-based Kitty McNamee is a highly regarded choreographer and director working across media. McNamee earned distinction from Dance Magazine as an artist with “an outsize talent for that most elusive gift, originality.” Kitty began her career as the Artistic Director of Hysterica Dance Co., a consistently prolific and creative collective that redefined dance in Los Angeles. Kitty’s work has been enriched by collaborations with composers, filmmakers, directors and writers on live performance, TV and film projects.
Recent work includes LA Opera’s Tales of Hoffman, San Diego Opera’s La Traviata, Target’s “A New Kind of Strong” campaign, Secret Cinema’s groundbreaking live performances with Laura Marling in London, the World Premiere of Colony Collapse commissioned by Oregon Shakespeare Festival and The Fantasticks at Pasadena Playhouse.
Kitty loves working with actors and is known for her ability to draw out organically nuanced performances. She has created for Paz Vega, Julianne Hough, Margaret Cho, Vanessa Williams, Vittorio Grigolo, Lily Tomlin, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon, the boys of 90210 and the ladies of the L- Word. Kitty has loved getting down and dirty choreographing Beautiful and Twisted, Petals on the Wind and Lizzie Borden for Lifetime. She has created movement for music artists Laura Marling, Belly, Fono, Josh Kelley, Kait Weston, Kinky, Hecuba, Nicole Turley, Henry Wolfe and Ariana Delawari.
Concert stage work includes RIFT commissioned by Marin Alsop and Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, colony for LA Ballet (both composed by Anna Clyne) and the creation of the new ballets Traces and Transit for National Choreographer's Initiative.
Kitty collaborated with music icon Easy Mike to create a new hip/hop ballet of “On the Waterfront” for Muse/ique. Opera credits include Tales of Hoffman, Lucia de Lammermoor, Don Carlo and La Rondine for LA Opera, La Traviata for LA Opera, San Francisco Opera and San Diego Opera, Romeo and Juliette for LA Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. She has a long and fruitful relationship with the LA Philharmonic, where she has choreographed, directed and developed new productions including Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Wing on Wing.
On the commercial front clients include Target, Mercedes, Adobe, GreyAnt, Uniqlo, Proactiv, Wynn Hotels, Devlinhair/Novartis, Flash on the Beach, MADD, Hexbug and Magic Sofa.
“The Yellow Room” Director’s Statement
Kitty McNamee
I’ve choreographed many live projects that evaporate as soon as the curtain comes down; I’ve been longing to create something lasting on film. DP and co-producer Jim Doyle shares my obsession with dancers and their ability to transmit story without the use of words. We decided to capture two dancers who each had a unique expression of both strength and fragility in a very confined space and see what happened! “The Yellow Room” is an opportunity to look beyond gender and catch a glimpse of the beautiful duality that each of us possesses.
Collaboration is key for me and the film provided an opportunity to create with an incredible team –they added a balance and richness to my experience – I think that is transmitted throughout the film.
Current fascinations include human nature, beauty, behavior, personality, duality, feminine/masculine and impulse.
Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. Carl Jung