A Moment in Love (1956) is a collaboration between director Shirley Clarke and choreographer Anna Sokolow, performed by Carmela Gutierrez and Paul Sanasardo. The duet unfolds in natural landscapes that shift with the dancers’ movements, reflecting the changing states of their relationship.
Before joining the New American Cinema, Clarke trained as a dancer and choreographer. She drew on this background in her early films, which celebrate what she called “the dance of life.” Here, the dancers move through fields, water, and sky, their mirrored reflections suggesting intimacy while also signaling fragility.
Clarke’s experimentation is central to the film. Using background projection, color effects, and inventive camera work, she transforms the landscape into a dynamic partner for the dancers. At times, they appear to float in clouds or drift through supernatural space. As Clarke later recalled: “I started choreographing the cameras as well as the dancers in the frame.”
A Moment in Love, 1956. 9 min
Shirley Clarke, born in 1919, was a pioneering American independent filmmaker. Trained as a dancer, she brought a unique kinetic and experimental sensibility to her work, exploring themes of alienation and urban life. Clarke was a key figure in the New York independent film scene of the 1950s and 60s, directing influential documentaries like ‘The Cool World’ (1963) and ‘Portrait of Jason’ (1967). She was an early advocate for women in film and co-founded the Filmmakers’ Co-op, a distribution network for independent artists. Her innovative, raw approach to filmmaking and her commitment to social realism left a lasting impact on cinema. Clarke passed away in 1997.
Director: Shirley Clarke | Cast: Carmela Gutierrez, Paul Sanasardo | Composer: Norman Lloyd | Editor: Shirley Clarke | Camera: Bert Clarke, Shirley Clarke | Choreographer: Anna Sokolow
Milestone Films, Kino Lorber
