Sheila: A Short Experimental Documentary by Gabri Christa

Sheila is a short experimental documentary about Sheila Rohan, one of the founding members of Dance Theater of Harlem.

The film takes place during a moment of contemplation when Sheila Rohan, alone in the dark, dances and remembers her past life through body memory. Memory in this film comes through the hands that touch the body and reach into space and bring memories alive. The photo and film footage of Sheila as a young dancer is projected onto Sheila’s body and into space. The entire piece was filmed live; no post production was used. Thus the aliveness of the images is the result of rehearsal and the work of figuring out how to achieve the right placement of the projections so the memories are as real and, at the same time, as magical as possible. Sheila remains a strong, inspiring presence to those around her of all ages.

Sheila has been screened as jury selection at festivals worldwide and has won several prizes. The film is the winner of the best experimental short at the Pure Magic International Film Festival (2022), winner of the Experimental Film Odyssey Festival Surreel Award (2022), winner of best Screendance film at the Denton Black Film Festival, Denton, Texas (2023), and winner of best film at the Greensboro Dance Film Festival, Greensboro, North Carolina (2023). It was jury selected as one of the “Best of the Fest” at the renowned CINEDANS festival in Amsterdam.

More information about Sheila: https://www.gabrichrista.com/work/sheila

Credits

Sheila: Sheila Rohan
Additional Dancers: Sajda Musawwir Ladner, Makeda Thomas, Nyah Love Thomas, Idea Reid, Malasia Bell, Niyah Bell
Creator, Writer, Director, and Producer: Gabri Christa
Cinematographer: Guy de Lancey
Editor: Abby Lee
Camera: Gabri Christa and Manuel Molina Martagon
Associate Producer: Allison Costa
Set Assistant Producer: Nkima Stephenson
Composer: Mazz Swift
Sound Design: Eve Cuyen

Published in The Scholar and Feminist Online Issue 19.1, "To Make Visible," guest edited by Gabri Christa and Sheril Antonio, summer 2023.