Getting ready for the crowdfunding

Let me introduce myself: my name is Roberto Menéndez. Throughout my life I’ve worked on a lot of projects, including various documentaries, but it’s been quite a while since my last one. However, a few months ago I began a personal project and the moment has now arrived to try crowdfunding so that I can actually bring it to fruition. It’s a documentary on contemporary dance in Spain. Here’s how it all began...

Kukai Dantza

The origin of this project comes from my time working on various television magazine reports when I was lucky enough to film some of the top names from the world of Contemporary Dance in Spain. It was fascinating work and awoke something inside of me. So, I made a decision - or rather - two decisions: the first was that in my next life I would be a contemporary dancer and the second – a rather more realistic one – that one day I would make a documentary on the subject. Time went by and the world of television in Spain began to distance itself from any type of cultural interest. But one day, while reading the newspaper, I found out that three of the dancers I most admired were going to perform in my city, Bilbao. And that was when I decided to go for it – on my own and despite the difficulties. I got in touch with La Fundición, the organization responsible for bringing the (strictly platonic) objects of my desire to the Dantzaldia festival. They immediately pledged their support and made things easy for me. So, I called my namesake, Roberto Rivas - both cameraman and director of photography – and he didn’t think twice about joining the project and even brought Mikel Gárate on board. So that’s how it all really began.

From those contacts we managed to film Sol Picó, Daniel Abreu and Carmen Werner. After that I got in touch with KukaiDantza as I had already worked with them on my documentary “Los niños de Guernica tienen memoria” and because I always thought they were amongst the best when it comes to Contemporary Dance. Right at that time they were awarded the Spanish Premio Nacional de Danza (National Dance Prize). And no documentary would be complete without Losdedae or their choreographer and mentor Chevi Muraday. From these five different angles, we started to put the project together.

Provisional Danza

We managed to do the filming between September 2017 and January 2018, with very little cash or support apart from the collaboration with La Fundición and the dance companies who shared their space and time with us. After that, it was the moment to put together a trailer. I contacted my old editing teacher, Yolanda Rot, and she recommended Ruth Carreras. Right from the start I was very clear about using Isa Suárez for the music as I had also worked with her on the documentary about the children exiled during the Spanish civil war. As there wasn’t much money I asked her if she would let us use one of the pieces of music that she had already written and which featured on her webpage. So, between the three of us we gave birth to this wonderful trailer.

So, now the campaign with Goteo starts tomorrow, Friday 4^th May, 2018, when the crowdfunding begins. That will hopefully allow us to start the editing process soon. I´ll be keeping you informed.