Documentary

Obsessed with Light (2023)
Directors Sabine Krayenbuehl & Zeva Oelbaum
Premiere Rome Film Fest 2023
NYC DOC Fest, US Competition 2023

Obsessed with Light is a meditation on light and the enduring obsession to create. The film pulls back the curtain on Loïe Fuller, a wildly original performer who revolutionized the visual culture of the early 20th century. Creating a dialogue between the past and the present, the documentary features Jody Sperling and her Time Lapse Dance ensemble and delves into the astonishing influence Fuller's work has on contemporary culture including artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Taylor Swift, Bill T. Jones, Shakira and William Kentridge. In the process, the film uncovers commonalities that connect these creative luminaries to Fuller and each other. The filmmakers commissioned Sperling to choreograph Fractal Memories, a contemporary homage to Loïe Fuller that utilizes cutting-edge 21st century technologies to illuminate and expand upon Fuller’s process.

FEATURE

The Dancer​ (2016)
Director Stephanie Di Giusto

A visually sumptuous drama set amidst the opulence of Belle Époque Paris that charts the saga of modern dance icon and dance technologist Loïe Fuller. Jody Sperling served as choreographer, creative consultant and coach for the film.

Premiere 2016 Cannes Film Festival
2 César nominations, 1 win for Best Costume Design
2017 World Choreography nomination

SHORT

Plastic Harvest (2021)
Directed and choreographed by Jody Sperling
Shot during the pandemic and performed by four Time Lapse Dance performers (Frances Barker, Anika Hunter, Maki Kitahara and Andrea Trager), this film explores our shared experience of plastic consumption. Music by Matthew Burtner. Official Selection: ADF Movies by Movers, Rogue Dancer Film Festival, BOTA Sealy

Bunhead’s Back (post-production)
Directed and choreographed by Jody Sperling
The saga of a ballerina (portrayed by Maki Kitahara) whose head is screwed on backwards, the film explores the physical experience of difference.

Single Use (2020)
Directed, choreographed and performed by Jody Sperling
This film explores the theme of plastic pollution and is a meditation on the nature of disposability. Official Selection: Harlem International Film Festival.

Fly (2020)
Directed, choreographed and performed by Jody Sperling
A film short exploring the movement terrain of a fallen log, a waterfall and a snowy meadow.

Ice Floe (2014)
Directed, choreographed and performed by Jody Sperling
Film short of dancing in the Arctic. Winner of a Creative Climate Award

Other PROJECTS

Book of Changes (post-production)
Director Elizabeth Yng-Wong
Documentary about the IChing, Jody Sperling featured as dancer choreographer.

Time Lapse Dancer (post-production)
Director Joshua Sperling
Documentary following development of Time Lapse Dance company and artistic process.

Reimagining Loïe Fuller’s Ballet of Light (2014 )
Director Ali Grossman
Documentary following the process of Jody Sperling reconstructing​ Fuller’s Ballet of Light f​or University of Wyoming students.

Loïe Fuller: Dancing in the Light Fantastic​ (2010)
Dir. Michael Dukta
Provided interview and choreography for Loie Fuller documentary.