Help us create "Morning" -- A Dance Film Tribute
to Those Lost from COVID-19
In the past year and a half, 4 million people around our globe have lost their lives to Covid-19. People we went on walks with, held hands with, shared food, stories, and dreams with. People who lived brilliant, full, and inspiring lives. As we hold close the preciousness and beauty of life, we want to honor the memories of the remarkable humans we have lost. Through the process of artistic expression we invite our community to reflect on this with us. Wilder Project is setting out to make a dance film in the Maine wilderness in tribute to those we’ve lost and those who are grieving. We need your help to make it happen.
Titled Morning, the film will be set to a new, re-imagined recording of the Appalachian folk song Bright Morning Stars, created in collaboration with renowned musical duo Robinson & Rohe. The film will be a cathartic embodiment of aliveness in relation to mourning. Using sand and water, the dancers confront the visceral reality of their living bodies on this earth and the depth of feeling present in grief.
Test footage for “Morning” during 2020 residency.
The film will also incorporate voice recordings from those of you willing to share memories of your loved ones with us. Your stories will not only live on in audio form but inspire the movement we use for the piece.
A little about us… Critically acclaimed filmmaking duo Holly and Duncan Wilder are New York City-based Wilder Project. We are siblings that set the body and camera into motion to explore the relationship between our inner and outer landscapes. We are committed to creating hopeful art that highlights the humanity of all people and our deep connection to each other and our earth. Our 18 films have screened at over 40 film festivals on 5 continents winning 8 awards.
In August 2021, we will be in a week-long residency in Acadia National Park, Maine with 3 dancers, cinematographer Duncan Wilder, and artistic director/choreographer Holly Wilder. During this week, we will dive into the creative process, stories shared, choreography, and then film Morning in its entirety. This will look like daily rehearsals to create movement based on your shared stories, scouting shoot locations in nature, and multiple days filming the different scenes both on land and in water.
OUR GOAL is to raise a minimum of $4,000 to fund the recording of the music, payment of artists, travel to Acadia, costumes, and other essential supplies. Take a look at the wonderful rewards offered for your donations, including advanced access to one of our upcoming films, the sequel to our film “Evergreen”, and a private Alexander Technique or GYROTONIC® session, among others.
We hope you consider donating, whether in memory of a loved one or in honor of all those we never got a chance to know. Help us make this beautiful film happen. Through allowing ourselves to grieve we can acknowledge what we’ve lost and notice what we’ve found. We make this film as we cherish the beauty present in every day and the innate joy of being alive.
Test footage for “Morning” during 2020 residency.
We hope none of you have lost a loved one to Covid-19, but if you have, we are wrapping you in our deepest love and compassion. It would be an honor to be in contact with you about your involvement in this project. We will be gathering audio recordings and text that express what you loved about your loved one and/or your favorite memory with them. Whether or not you are able to donate, please message us here so we can chat with you about including your story.