The all-male dance company BalletBoyz is set to present its first ever full length feature film, named Young Men, to be broadcast on BBC2 later in 2016. BalletBoyz, renowned for use of film and technology in its performance work, will be the first ever dance company to release a feature length film like this, depicting the desolation of warfare. The film will be directed by BalletBoyz Artistic Directors Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, who are making their debut with the film.
The film follows a group of soldiers as they experience the brutality of warfare, shot on location in northern France in 2015. A 60 minute TV version will premiere on BBC2 later this year, ahead of the release of the 72 minute feature film. Nunn and Trevitt worked closely with a composer to develop a visual language and musical style which simultaneously examines the experience of soldiers during a brutal and relentless war, and the wider themes of conflict.
The film is shot without words, instead using the set and carefully choreographed dance to depict devastation. The design, set and costume of Young Men is evocative of World War One, whilst the characters remain ambiguous, representative of the experiences of men of every nation. Originally conceived as a stage show, choreographed by Ivan Perez, Young Men received its world premiere at Sadler’s Wells in January 2015, returning again in October 2015. It is an exploration into dramatic storytelling in dance, putting the art form centre stage and using it for expression when words are not enough.
The film has been created in conjunction with 14-18 NOW, a UK-wide arts programme of extraordinary experiences connecting people with the First World War, as part of the UK’s official centenary commemorations. It aims to engage as many people as possible, exploring how the war has impacted on the society we live in now. 14-18 NOW commissions new work by leading contemporary artists from all art forms, inspired by the period 1914-1918. It has consequently commissioned over 140 artworks to date that have been seen by more than 30 million people.