Private Project

Dance till the crack of dawn!

Marijose, the star of a marginalized theater in 1976 Madrid, is visited by a childhood friend from London, accompanied by a mysterious figure who stirs a strange sense of familiarity.

What begins as a regular performance takes a dark turn when the theater faces a disturbing attack, spiraling the night into a surreal and chaotic journey. This short film offers a vivid exploration of the era’s tension and the unsettling atmosphere of intellectual terror.

  • Miguel Maldonado
    Director
  • Miguel Maldonado
    Writer
  • Alba Moyano
    Writer
  • Patricio Armenteros
    Writer
  • David Blanka
    Producer
  • Candela Gomez
    Key Cast
    "Susi"
  • Jack Roper
    Key Cast
    "Paul"
  • Isabel Fernández
    Key Cast
    "Chari"
  • Alba Casabella
    Key Cast
    "Marijose"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Baila hasta el amanecer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 5, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    12,553 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    Spain, United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    Spain
  • Language:
    English, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Miguel Maldonado

Miguel Maldonado is a London-based film director and video editor who has studied Cinema and Photography in Madrid, London and Buenos Aires. He has achieved recognition and awards at various international festivals and film shows. Maldonado is involved in the entire process of developing Moving Image projects, and he has received commissions from notable organizations like Warp Records, Instituto Cervantes, and Instituto Goethe.
Maldonado's filmography demonstrates his versatility, encompassing diverse genres and themes. His films delve into existentialism, deadpan humor, queer themes, and the peculiarities of everyday life.
In 2008, Maldonado made his directorial debut with the short documentary "19 threads," filmed in Argentina. The film was showcased at several prestigious festivals worldwide, including the Festival dei Popoli in Florence.
His extensive work on 8mm format ranges from experimental pieces to music videos, which have been utilized by companies like Slumber Records (USA).
Currently, Maldonado is in the final stages of completing several narrative film projects and documentaries shot in Madrid and London.
Notably, Miguel is an esteemed member of CJC (Collectif Jeune Cinema) France since 2018, collaborating on diverse projects such as impactful social media campaigns, captivating art commissions, mesmerizing music videos, and visually stunning spectacles. His versatility extends to being a skilled first assistant director as well.

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Director Statement

Several years have passed since we conceived the idea of Dance Till Dawn, a project that goes beyond what is shown on screen. Our intention was to explore a little-remembered episode of Spain's recent history: the role of small theaters and cabarets during the Transition, a period in which, after decades of repression, new forms of artistic and social expression emerged.

This short film captures the tension between modernity and the reactionary forces that sought to perpetuate a restrictive morality, represented by groups such as Fuerza Nueva or Guerrilleros de Cristo Rey, who attempted to censor performances they deemed subversive. The story centers on Marijose, a cabaret artist who faces the prejudices and rigidity of a society in transformation. Through the arrival of Susi, a friend returning from London with a fresh and liberating perspective, we reflect the contrast between Transition-era Spain and Europe's cultural avant-garde.

Our intention with Dance Till Dawn is to immerse the audience in a surreal journey where cabaret aesthetics merge with the psychedelia of the time. The use of LSD as a narrative element adds a dreamlike and uninhibited dimension, enhancing the sense of escape and resistance against oppression.

This project represents our passion for telling stories that rescue historical memory from an artistic and emotional perspective, with a visual and sound aesthetic that plunges the viewer into 1970s Madrid. We firmly believe that cinema not only documents but also reinterprets and re-signifies the past, connecting it with the concerns of the present.

Miguel Maldonado
Director of Dance Till Dawn