Strike a Pose is a Belgian-Dutch documentary film, which premiered in the Panorama section of the 2016 Berlinale. Directed by Ester Gould and Reijer Zwaan, the film profiles the dancers who performed with Madonna on her Blond Ambition World Tour in 1990.[1][2][3][4]
| Strike a Pose | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Ester Gould Reijer Zwaan |
| Distributed by | CTM Docs |
Release date |
|
Running time | 83 minutes |
| Countries | Belgium Netherlands |
| Language | English |
Story
The film follows the dancers during the 25 years since the tour. Some went on to act in film, TV and stage, and all of them kept dance in their lives. Some had to deal with AIDS, drug use and homelessness. The six who appear in the film are Kevin Stea, Carlton Wilborn, Luis Xtravaganza Camacho, Jose Gutierez Xtravaganza, Salim Gauwloos and Oliver S Crumes III. One of the original seven, Gabriel Trupin, died from complications due to AIDS in 1995 and is represented in the film by his mother, Sue Trupin.[5][6][7]
Strike a Pose includes information about dancers Gabriel Trupin, Salim “ Slam” Gauwloos and Carlton Wilborn's positive HIV status, and why they decided not to share information about their status, even with each other, during the Blond Ambition tour.[8]
Production
The film was partially financed by the International Documentary Film Festival Forum Award, Amsterdam, and was produced by CTM Docs and The Other Room in coproduction with Serendipity Films and NTR.[9] The film premiered at the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival where it received the second place Panorama audience award for a documentary.[10][11][12]
Gauwloos shared his HIV-positive status publicly for the first time during filming for Strike a Pose.[13]
Gould said in an interview[14] that she specifically did not want Madonna to be a part of the film, because she might pull focus from the dancers' stories. "In a strange way, she was the elephant in the room, because even if she had turned up at the reunion dinner, wouldn’t that somehow ruin the point that these young dancers have moved on, matured and become grown men?" Gould said she was unsure if Madonna had seen the film or liked it.[citation needed]
Reviews
Reviews of the documentary were mixed. The film has earned 96% on Rotten Tomatoes,[15] and 59% on Metacritic[16]
For Variety, Denis Harvey wrote, “By the time we see them playing “truth or dare” anew over dinner, 'Strike a Pose' begins to feel like a rather flimsy, gimmicky exploitation rather than a thoughtful exploration of a shared, shining-moment-in-the-spotlight past.”[17] For The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw wrote, “in emotionally effusive film, this – sometimes excitable and indulgent but watchable, and an interesting addition to a growing documentary genre focusing on New York City as the crucible of gay liberation politics.”[18]
Awards and nominations
- Best LGBT Film - Key West Film Festival
- Best Queer Film of the Year 2016 - Merlinka festival[19]
- Nominated for Golden Athena - Athens International Film Festival
- Nominated for Audience Award - Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
- Nominated for Audience Award - Berlin International Film Festival
References
- ^ "Madonna's 'Blonde Ambition' Dancers Tell Their Own Stories in New Documentary 'Strike a Pose'" Archived May 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Indiewire, 21 January 2016.
- ^ Cooper, Michael (6 April 2017). "Strike a Pose Tells the Amazing Story of Madonna's Blond Ambition Tour Dancers".
- ^ Kenny, Glenn (17 January 2017). "Review: Madonna Said 'Strike a Pose,' and It Was Life-Altering". The New York Times.
- ^ "Strike a pose: These dancers taught Madonna how to vogue". NBC News. 6 April 2017.
- ^ "'Strike A Pose' Doc, Revisiting Madonna's 'Truth Or Dare' Dancers, Sets Premiere Date on Logo". Billboard.
- ^ Dazed (3 February 2017). "Reuniting Madonna's iconic voguing gang of 1990".
- ^ Metz, Nina (4 April 2017). "'Strike a Pose' catches up with Madonna's 'Blond Ambition' dancers". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Straube, Trent (19 May 2016). "How Madonna Dancer Carlton Wilborn Broke Free of HIV Shame". POZ. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Panorama - Berlinale 2016: The Panorama Audience Awards go to Junction 48 and Who's Gonna Love Me Now?". Berlinale.de. 20 February 2016. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (20 February 2016). "Berlin Film Fest Winners: Refugee Doc 'Fire At Sea' Takes Golden Bear". Deadline. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (2 February 2017). "Strike a Pose review – excitable reunion of Madonna's dancers". The Guardian.
- ^ Needham, Alex (17 April 2016). "Strike a Pose review – Madonna's dancers vogue back in anger". The Guardian.
- ^ Straube, Trent (14 April 2016). "Madonna's Blond Ambition Dancer "Slam" Is Ready to Talk About His HIV—Just Don't Ask Him to Vogue". Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ P, Matt (20 February 2017). "Strike A Pose (2016): An Interview With Co-Director Ester Gould". Movingtheriver. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Strike a Pose | Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Strike a Pose". Metacritic. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Harvey, Dennis (16 April 2016). "Film Review: 'Strike a Pose'". Variety. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (2 February 2017). "Strike a Pose review – excitable reunion of Madonna's dancers". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
- ^ "Awards".