Directors Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaans hit something of a gold mine with the subject matter for their documentary Strike A Pose. The Dutch duo gained access to all of the surviving dancers who backed up Madonna nightly on her Truth Or Dare tour - the highly controversial tour known for championing gay rights but one which, as we learn, took a very particular emotional toll on those involved. Here's how the Tribeca film festival described it:
To the fans they were the unforgettably sleek, talented, and beautiful men that helped support the career of one of the world's most beloved and controversial music artists. But behind the scenes they were Kevin, Oliver, Luis, Carlton, Jose, Gabriel, and Salim; a diverse, impressionable group of young dancers whose lives were forever changed by Madonna's iconic blonde ambition tour and its accompanying documentary, Truth or Dare. No longer swept up in the thrill of Madonna's inarguable power, some found life away from her influence emotionally devastating and near impossible to navigate. Strike a Pose movingly revisits the men after years apart and provides us with a chance to learn about the emotional truth behind the glamorous facade.
Following its world premiere in Berlin and North American bow in Tribeca the theatrical trailer for the film has just arrived and its appeal should spread well beyond fans of the singer herself. Take a look below!
[Full disclosure: XYZ Films, where I serve as head of international acquisitions, represents Strike A Pose for sales within North America. So, you know, bias and all that.]