Movement Song

The power of literature, the value of archiving, and the beauty of our memories converge in this remarkable fictional documentary, Movement Song. The film centres on Noa, a researcher who, after a period of heartbreak, travels to St. Paul-de-Vence – a small village in the south of France that was home to James Baldwin in his final years.

After a painful break-up, Amsterdam-based researcher Noa is in mourning. She keeps dreaming about meeting her ex-lover Anna in the dunes by the sea, and about a mysterious glass hammer. When Noa tries to uncover the meaning of this object, she meets Saffron, a fellow lover of literature, poetry and theoretical research.

This new, intimate connection sets Noa on a journey of self-discovery and healing that eventually takes her to St. Paul-de-Vence in the south of France. It is in this small village that the acclaimed American author James Baldwin spent his final years. Intrigued by his legacy, Noa explores the locations where Baldwin wrote. She also meets Jill Hutchinson, who knew Baldwin well and preserved many traces of his life and work.

Movement Song is inspired by a poem by Audre Lorde. This third film by Turkish artist and director Mayis Rukel is an experimental blend of documentary and fiction about queer love, memory, and the healing power of literature and poetry. With calm, flowing imagery, Rukel shows us that archiving is a labour of love.

– Cas Hoekstra

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