As a die-hard genre film fan who is also an unabashed couch potato, I am incredibly uninformed about the art of dance. (And, truthfully, pretty lazy.) Still, Levan Akin's drama And Then We Danced strikes a match in the kindling of my imagination.
First, the setting. The film unfolds in modern-day Tbilisi, Georgia, where "Merab (Levan Gelbakhiani), a devoted dancer who has been training for years with his partner Mary (Ana Javakishvili) for a spot in the National Georgian Ensemble. The arrival of another male dancer, Irakli (Bachi Valishivili) -- gifted with perfect form and equipped with a rebellious streak -- throws Merab off balance, sparking both an intense rivalry and romantic desire that may cause him to risk his future in dance as well as his relationships with Mary and his family."
I may not know much of anything about Georgia, but the trailer makes it clear that gay desire is frowned upon, at best. Also, dancing is cool!
Second, the release strategy. Via distributor Music Box Films, And Then We Dance was caught in the middle of the pandemic's rising tide, which cut short its theatrical run and led to its release via Music Box StreamLocal, which allowed for the film to be made available on VOD for a higher price, of which 50% was earmarked in support of a participating U.S. arthouse theater of the viewer's choice.
Now the film is heading to more general release on a variety of VOD platforms, beginning June 2, 2020, via iTunes, GooglePlay, Youtube, and Vudu; to be followed by release on Blu-ray and DVD on June 23, 2020.
Specialty distributors like Music Box Films are doing their best to make independent and international films available to audiences that are more inclined to support adventurous films from around the world. Bravo! I say. And the trailer is pretty good, too, which may help in deciding how to allocate your own budget in the coming weeks.