Using what filmmaker Mitchell Rose calls “hyper-match cutting,”in Dyad, a movement phrase begins in one location and midway through the choreography jumps to another, reinforcing the singular possibility and beauty inherent in mixing filmmaking with dance, namely the ability to defy and traverse time, space, gravity in an instant. Several of the locations throw architectural shapes and shadows, and reinforce the endless expanse of the desert and highway itself. The two dancers’ slow, symbiotic movement channels and responds to these sites. The uncompromising and beautiful score by Astrid Sonne suits the film perfectly, and with the singular visual imagery captured by Sinziana Velicescu, Dyad makes for a film that invites itself to be seen more than once.

So what is a dyad? According to the dictionary, “In sociology, dyadic relationships are crucial but inherently unstable as they rely entirely on both individuals’ participation, contrasting with larger groups.” Think a mother-infant bond, a married couple, or even a criminal duo. Beyond Dyad’s aesthetic and sensibility, perhaps this metaphor quietly references the instability of our times. And yet, the fact of this film existing and being made at all, I find to be inherently hopeful. Enjoy.