The Damned and the Sacred

a.k.a. Dans, Grozny dans (2003) - Beautiful, moving, and informative. Almost all of Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, has been destroyed in two bloody wars with Russia and the once-thriving city is now virtually a ghost town. Among the remaining residents is a dance ensemble comprising Chechen children aged six to sixteen. With their master, Ramzan Akhmadov, they embark on a two-month tour of Europe, performing in cities like Amsterdam, London, Krakow and Warsaw. In the rubble of a city ravaged by the bombing and mortar fire of the Russian army, they rehearse their traditional dance. For these desperate children, dancing is more than a picturesque spectacle: it is art as a way of affirming existence, indeed of staving off madness. Filming the children on tour and on stage, Jos de Putter captures moments of pure grace and shows the innocence of childhood, the strength of tradition, and the spirit of solidarity that bonds the small community.