“Laatoo: Dance and Spirituality in Pakistan”

Film Info:  Laatoo: Dance and Spirituality in Pakistan” /« Laatoo : Danse et spiritualité au Pakistan »  English and Urdu with French subtitles. Directed by Alix Philippon and Faizaan Peerzada.  2003.  

Distributed by: Alix Philippon (Sciences Po, Aix-en-Provence, France).  There are various versions, ranging from 45 minutes to an hour and a quarter.  Contact the director for information.

Film Summary:  LAATOO is a documentary about the role of dance in Pakistan : from the classical Kathak,Bharanatyam and Odyssi to the sufi tradition of the dervish right up to the dances performed by prostitutes. The film uses scenes and interviews with great dancers such as Naheed Siddiqui, Sheema Kirmani, Tehreema Mitha, Indu Mitha and Fasi-ur-Rehman to help us locate Pakistani dance in its religious, philosophical, social, and political contexts.

LAATOO est un documentaire qui fait l’état des lieux de la danse au Pakistan : de la danse classique comme le khatak, le bharatanatyam et l’odissi, à la tradition soufie des derviches jusqu’aux danses pratiquées par les prostituées. C’est à travers les témoignages des grands danseurs classiques tels que Naheed Siddiqui, Sheema Kirmani, Tehreema Mitha, Indu Mitha et Fasi-ur-Rehman, que nous découvrons la danse et sa problématique dans son contexte religieux, philosophique, social et politique.

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