Let’s make screen dance feel alive again….

This year, Frame x Frame is returning to what has always been at the heart of Frame Dance: connection, conversation, and collaboration.

We’re reimagining how we gather around screen dance, not as a large, fast-moving festival, but as a more intimate, ongoing exchange.

Call for Screen Dance Filmmakers 2026-7
We’re doing the festival a bit different this year. We’re introducing a new format of monthly online spotlights featuring three films, thoughtfully curated and shared with care. Each screening includes reflections from Lydia Hance and a live conversation with artists and audiences around the world.

Think of it as a global gathering — part gallery, part living room— where your work doesn’t just play, it resonates.

Why submit?

Because your work deserves more than a quick watch and a scroll.

This is a space where your film is truly seen, held with attention, curiosity, and care. Where audiences show up not just to watch, but to engage, reflect, and connect.

How to submit: just as usual, find more details at Film Freeway.

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2025

Get Your Festival Pass Today

Your festival pass includes:

  • Virtual access to all films
  • In-person screenings at Frame Dance
  • Workshops and conversations with filmmakers and choreographers

Opening Night: Lives Beyond Motion Screening + Panel

  • Date/Time: November 7, 7:30pm
  • Houston Ballet Center for Dance

On Friday, November 7, Frame Dance and Houston Ballet will co-present a screening of Lives Beyond Motion, a new documentary by filmmaker Keith Glassman. The film explores masculinity, identity, and artistry through the experiences of men in dance.

Lives Beyond Motion follows an intergenerational group of celebrated artists who have shaped the world of contemporary dance on and off the stage. The film features Bill T. Jones, Matthew Rushing, Lar Lubovitch, and Kyle Abraham, who share rare stories of their journeys—the sacrifices, triumphs, and struggles to transcend marginalization.

After the screening, Houston artist, community leader, and founder of Urban Souls Dance Company, Harrison Guy, will moderate a panel conversation with three Houston Ballet dancers, exploring themes of masculinity, artistry, and personal experience in dance today.

This is such a rare opportunity to experience a film that honors the history and evolution of men in dance, and to hear directly from artists continuing that legacy right here in Houston. We hope you’ll join us!

Workshop & Documentary Screening: Closer Than Yesterday

HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT OF SCREENDANCE

  • Date/Time: November 8, 3:30-4:30pm
  • Instructor: Jennifer Salter
  • Location: Frame Dance Studio

This lecture traces screendance from its experimental roots to its current status as a distinct artistic medium. Beginning with pioneers like Maya Deren and her groundbreaking “A Study in Choreography for Camera” (1945), we’ll explore how artists reimagined dance specifically for cinema rather than simply documenting stage performances.

We’ll examine key developments including the influence of music videos, digital technology’s democratization of film production, and international festivals that established the form’s legitimacy. Contemporary case studies highlight how current artists use everything from smartphones to virtual reality, while social media platforms create new contexts for dance-film works.

Participants will leave with a foundational understanding of screendance’s artistic evolution and its growing significance in both dance and film communities.

CLOSER THAN YESTERDAY

  • Date/Time: November 8, 5pm
  • Location: Frame Dance Studio

Directed by Lisa Le Lievre, Closer Than Yesterday offers an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at two young San Francisco Ballet dancers preparing for the Helsinki International Ballet Competition.

At the heart of the film is Carmela Mayo, returning to the stage after a major back surgery during the pandemic — a comeback years in the making. Guided by Principal Dancer Tiit Helimets and joined by partner Esteban Cuadrado, her journey unfolds through long rehearsals, physical challenges, and emotional resilience.

Set against the uncertainty of a post-pandemic world, the documentary captures the vulnerability, discipline, and quiet courage behind the pursuit of artistic excellence — reminding us that every performance carries a story of perseverance and hope.

About Frame X Frame

From Argentina to Ghana and Singapore to Bulgaria, Frame x Frame Film Fest (FXF) has featured hundreds of artists from more than twenty different countries over the past five years. From low-budget/high impact work like Einy Am-Spars (Norway) and Kay Collymore (Houston/UK) to the superstars of the screen dance world like the Hong Kong Ballet and Australasian Dance Collective, FXF presents internationally acclaimed artists alongside homegrown Houston artists in a powerfully eclectic festival of screen dance.

Curated by artistic director, Lydia Hance and a panel of dancers, artists, and filmmakers, Frame Dance presents this festival annually in November.

What’s Screendance?

Screendance is an exciting, innovative genre that pushes the boundaries of traditional dance by combining choreography with the storytelling power of film. This creates a new visual language that captivates audiences in ways live performances often cannot. Viewers experience the artistry of movement through unique camera angles, editing techniques, and creative use of space, making screendance accessible to a wider audience.

Watching screendance can inspire new perspectives, spark creativity, and offer an emotional journey that transcends the limitations of language. It connects people to dance in intimate, cinematic ways.

Watch the FXF 2025 Trailer

PRESS & REVIEWS

“It has been truly empowering how Lydia valued our film. Also it’s been a pleasure to talk with her in the IG interview. Listening to other interviews, I can say that she was very open to the background stories of the films and insights of the filmmakers.”

 

“The festival cares and respects filmmakers. I appreciated the opportunity to take part in an interview and share my film’s backstory. A great festival experience.”

 

“Have attended the festival in person and had films presented in the festival. I appreciate how well organized and effectively run the festival is and how supportive of artists Frame x Frame Film Fest is.”

 

“We appreciate the opportunity to share our work with the Frame X Frame audience. The Festival and Lydia Hance are very accessible, professional, well-organized and supportive of the artists. With gratitude for our participation and we look forward to attending in person in the future.”

 

“My movies have shown in Frame x Frame Festival several times so far. Even though I haven’t been able to attend, I always feel SEEN.”

“Seeing such variety of creative short film productions was a truly rewarding experience. So glad to have Lydia Hance in our Houston dance community. Thank you for your effort organizing the film fest, your positive energy and passion in promoting dance.”

 

“I absolutely loved watching the films at this year’s Frame x Frame film festival! One of my favorite films was full of surprising moments involving social dance. It made me laugh, smile, and think about the magic “superpowers” of dance–the connections that dance can make among people. Another film made me think about how we continue to change, and handle changes as we grow. It’s pretty fun to show up to any night of this festival and see all the styles and stories that screendance can offer. The curation of films is incredible!”