Maria Fux is a 90 years old Argentinian dancer. In her studio in the heart of Buenos Aires she is still dancing, teaching and conserving the elegance and the energy of a young performer.
She accepts all kinds of people in her classes forming integrated groups of dancers. She gives everybody the possibility to develop their own way of expressing themselves and gets out the talent from dancers of all ages and conditions. After a period of training with her, a lot of them spring out, as if something new is waking up.
They take part in one of the most ancient human struggles: the battle of human beings against their limits.
Maria Fux is not an exception. She is pushing her old body to the limits, but there's an unknown force coming from inside, that drives her students to a concrete change and makes her still dancing.
This film wants to tell about the power of that force.

Direction: Ivan Gergolet

Script: Ivan Gergolet

Production: Igor Princic, Miha Cernec, Igor Princic, David Rubio

Cinematography: Ivan Gergolet

Editing: Natalie Cristiani

Sound: Havir Gergolet, Francesco Morosini

Original Score: Luca Ciut

Cast: María Fux

Original Title: DANCING WITH MARIA

Original Languages: Italian, Spanish

Subtitles: English

Film Production Countries: Italy, Argentina, Slovenia

Statement of the Director/s
I personally met Maria Fux in February 2010. My wife has been her student for about 5 years and she approached her after losing her mother. The dance was the main resource with which she managed to overcome that grief, when she was still very young. At that time, Maria Fux, not even knowing her, became an important person in my life and I have seen first-hand how the dance can change not only the body but also the intimacy of individuals.
For this reason, I want my film to tell about Maria Fux and the changes her dance brings to people's lives: no great revolutions that change society, but intimate awareness that changes individuals.
Although her personal story has very interesting episodes, I have decided not to make a biographic film, but to concentrate on more interesting aspects of her work today, which I myself have been able to experience in the studio. Through this, I could enrich my personal relationship with her, gain her trust and expand my access to her personal world. Evidence of that is the fact that I will be the first film-maker allowed to film her workshops.
I chose to follow some secondary characters to tell how dancing with Maria is changing their lives. Their stories are the pieces of a single mosaic from which emerges the image of people who, despite the difficulties imposed by life, have managed to find a way to overcome their limitations and grow as human beings. It is a hard road and whoever takes it, needs a guide.
Following this road, we will find out that Maria Fux and her world are impregnated with art and poetry and how important it is to find a teacher in some crucial moments of life.

Biography of the Director/s
Ivan Gergolet was born in Italy in 1977 and graduated in cinema in the the Bologna University. Since 2001 he wrote and directed awarded short films, documentaries, industrial videos and worked as assistant director and production assistant in several projects.
Filmography:
Making Archeo Film, (doc, 28', HDV, 2011);
Ouverture (short, 6', HD, 2010);
Dust (short, 18', super16mm, 2009);
Medea's Collection (short, 6', HDV, 2008);
When fires burn out (short, 13', 35mm, 2005);
Akropolis (doc, 48', DV, 2005)
International

Awards Won
Civitas Vitae Award at 29th Venice International Critics Week

World Sales:
Slingshot Films
Manuela Buono
Via Salita di Gretta 7/1
Trieste, 34136, Italy
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +393476273390

Press:
Slingshot Films
Manuela Buono
Via Salita di Gretta 7/1
Trieste, 34136, Italy
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: +393476273390