Debbie Harry, lead vocalist of the band Blondie, headlines the cast of the Tribeca-selected short “Catharsis.”
Brian Logvinsky’s directorial debut follows a dancer savant on the brink of self-destruction, confronted by a peculiar psychotherapist who delves into his subconscious. The 17-minute film blends surrealism, performance art and horror, drawing from Logvinsky’s own Soviet-American heritage.
Harrison Ball stars as Alex, a gifted but troubled dancer grieving his mother’s death. He lives with his superstitious aunt Anya, played by Harry, who believes a family curse fuels Alex’s destructive behavior. Anya convinces Alex to visit the unconventional Dr. Leechny (Marc Geller), who, along with his assistants Chakra and Harmony (Jemima Kirke), uses hypnosis to help Alex confront his inner demons. The film culminates in a transformative sequence where Alex, guided by a vision of his deceased mother, finds redemption. As dawn breaks, he dances through New York City, symbolizing his cathartic release.
The cast also includes Sasha Pivovarova and Zumi Rosow, with a guest appearance by Black Lips.
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Produced by Jess Vogel and Harrison Jaffee, with executive producers Ball, Miranda Kahn and Zac Posen, “Catharsis” features editing by Max Basch and cinematography by Jo Jo Lam. Posen also serves as the costume designer.
“My debut short film ‘Catharsis’ is a post-Soviet fever dream, deeply personal and reflective of my heritage having grown up a confused child of immigrants with one foot in the American Dream and another foot in Motherland,” Logvinsky told PvNew. “It is also inspired by the performative power of dance and its ability to express catharsis. As I began the arduous journey of making ‘Catharsis,’ doors began to open. Harrison Jaffee, one of my oldest friends, agreed to produce the film and connected me with principal dancer of New York City Ballet, Harrison Ball, who was at the time leaving the ballet to pursue acting. The universe aligned when Harrison Ball agreed to star in the film, and he became instrumental in shaping the film. His dedication, creativity and deep understanding of the character brought a new dimension to the project.”
It was through Ball that Logvinsky met Harry and brought her on board the project. “Debbie is a real star, a legend of culture, and an incredibly beautiful human being,” he said. “The energy of the film continued to snowball, gathering an extraordinary cast and crew — Sasha Pivovarova, Marc Geller and Jemima Kirke — as well as Zac Posen and our talented director of photography, Jo Jo Lam. Life felt like a dream as these pieces fell into place, and now our team is honored to be premiering ‘Catharsis’ at Tribeca Festival.”
Added Ball, “When Brian brought the script to me, it was right at the time that I had announced my retirement from the New York City Ballet in pursuit of acting. It was ironic because the narrative of the film encompasses a troubled young dancer who desires something more than dance and is playing with the idea of leaving the ballet. It was serendipity to take on my first film that seemingly paralleled my reality. I am so grateful to Brian for seeing potential in me.”
He continued, “The film leans towards a more experimental nature. That’s exactly what it was, for both myself and Brian. It captures the birth of a new identity in our lives. We shot the film just four months after I left the stage. In a large way, it gave me permission to let go of my 25-year career in ballet to create space for a new modality of performing. I couldn’t be happier that it found a home at TFF as it couldn’t be more of a New York film if it tried.The film in its entirety is a montage of cathartic experiences. The film is more of journey, a moment in a persons life as opposed to a cohesive narrative where there is a clear beginning, middle and end. I hope people feel the sense of being entertained by these scenes in whatever way they interpret them.”
“Catharsis” will have its world premiere on June 14 at the Tribeca Festival 2024.
Watch a clip featuring Harry here:
Watch the trailer here:
