Ruby TV would like to share this short film by Elise McLeod.
Official Selection- Le Festival de Cinema des Antipodes 2010
Opening screening- Le Cabaret des Filles de Joie
Selected and sceened in the Paris Burlesque Festival 2011.
A meeting of two unlikely characters through movement and rhythm.
In central Paris, the worlds of the homeless and the bourgeoisie collide. Outside Les Halles shopping centre, by the St Eustache church and trendy rue Montmatre, Bernice, a lady of leisure crosses Frieda, a girl on the down and out in the big smoke. For a moment, they spin into a colourful, fantastical world where their inner rhythms cease to clash with the harsh outside environment and instead inspire playfulness and create music. A story about how rhythm can unite unlikely characters.
The origins of Urban Orchestra came from a desire of director Elise McLeod and writer/ performer Ruby (aka Jazmin) to collaborate on a short film with tap dance. Rather than simply film a choreography, they decided to write a story that would be set around the streets and bridges of Paris they knew, but with a universal message larger than both the dance and the city.
After collaborating on a Polish coffee commercial and a comedy trilogy at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, Elise and Ruby scheduled writing session in central Paris (both being Australians pursuing artistic endeavours in the city of lights) and came up with the outline for Urban Orchestra. By now Ruby was performing (as ‘Jazmin’) with renowned Paris based German tap dancer and performer Marion Sandners and the rich girl and poor girl story was set, then the roles flipped. To splash the dance scene with vibrant burlesquey colours, brought on board for costume, styling and make up was underground French Cabaret icon Juliette Dragon (The Cabaret des Filles de Joie with whom Jazmin & Marion had began to regularly perform, including at the 2009 The Paris Burlesque Festival). A small crew was put together by Elise with Australian cinematographer Inoe Scherer and Michael Icono and they were ready for rehearsals and a 6am shoot on the Pont des Arts opposite the Louvre over the Seine.
With a deliciously tangible and contemporary post production sound design by Antonio Gambale, the result is a charmed story for adults and children that reveals the juxtapositions of the big city and offers a voyage from the dirty streets to dreamy bridges of Paris… through rhythm.
