Haberman Institute Focus on Culture: Film
Register to watch the documentary at home.
Then join us online for a talk with the film directors, and lead protagonist.
Call Me Dancer is a story of hope, heartache, and hard work.
Manish is a young and talented street dancer from Mumbai who is struggling against his parents’ insistence that he follow a traditional path because they are counting on their only son to support them. When he secretly attends an inner-city dance school and accidentally walks into a ballet class he meets Yehuda, a curmudgeonly 70-year-old Israeli teacher, and a hunger develops within him. Ambitious and passionate, Manish is determined to make it as a professional dancer, but the odds are stacked against him.
Together, Manish and Yehuda transform each other’s lives, searching to uncover who and what they are. Yehuda seeks a purpose and a place to call home. Manish dreams of dancing on the world stage but struggles to break free from the confines of his own economic and social circumstances.
Filmed in India, the United Kingdom, Israel, and the United States. Released February 2023.
March 9-11: View the film at home.
March 11 at 7:30 PM ET: Join us online for a talk with the filmmaker, Leslie Shampaine, and lead protagonist, Manish Chauhan
Film Screening and Director Talk: $18
REGISTRATION IS NO LONGER OPEN FOR THIS PROGRAM.
You can learn more about the film at www.callmedancer.com
“Astonishing…it’s the classic underdog story…touching…lustrous imagery” Matthew Carey, Deadline
“Dance is an art form, and this movie is simply pure art!” Yoni Avital, Intl Director, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company
FESTIVAL AWARDS
Best of Fest, Documentary - Palm Springs Intl Film Festival 2024
Next Wave Jury Prize, Miami Jewish Film Festival, 2024
Audience Award, Documentary – Berkshire International Film Festival 2023
Art of Storytelling Award – Doc Edge Film Festival, New Zealand 2023
Audience Award, Feature - Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival 2023
Best Director Award - Indian Film Festival of Cincinnati 2023
Audience Award, Portraits program - Vancouver International Film Festival 2023
Art and Inspiration Award - Hamptons Doc Fest 2023
Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature - Tasveer South Asian Film Festival, Seattle 2023
Audience Award, Documentary, Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival 2023
Audience Favorite Award, San Francisco Dance Film Festival 2023
Audience Award, Documentary - River to River Film Festival, Florence, Italy 2023
Excellence in Documentary Directing Award - New York Women in Film & Television @ New York Indian Film Festival 2023
Young Jury Award, DOKUart Festival, Bjelovar, Croatia 2023
Honorable Mention, Best Documentary, International South Asian Film Festival Canada, Surrey, Canada 2023