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Bengaluru Hosts Inaugural LURU Screendance Festival, Bridging Dance and Cinema
On September 12, Bengaluru welcomed the world’s first LURU Screendance Festival, a week‑long celebration that will close on September 19. The event, presented by the Vishwakiran Nambi Dance Company in partnership with Barcelona’s Choreoscope Dance Film Festival, invites audiences to explore how choreography is reshaped when it is captured on film.
The opening night was staged at the Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy, where 12 short films—each between four and fifteen minutes—were screened. Filmmakers arrived from the United States, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Czechia, and other nations, bringing a mix of contemporary dance narratives and a single piece that delved into Indian classical dance. According to the festival’s announcement, the first edition intentionally eschews a single theme, allowing the works themselves to speak. That evening also marked the debut of the LURU Awards, a public ceremony that acknowledges excellence in the emerging field of screendance.
From September 13 onward, the festival pivoted to an online format. At 5 p.m. IST, the session Present & Future of Screendance in India launched the virtual program, featuring a dialogue among artists and practitioners about the current landscape and future prospects of the medium. On September 15, the discussion Kalpana: Dance, Cinema & History revisited Uday Shankar’s landmark film, probing its influence on the relationship between dance and cinema. The final online forum, held on September 18 at 7 p.m., brought together selected filmmakers and award‑winning artists to dissect their works and the techniques that define screendance. All online events are open to the public; interested viewers may RSVP via email at luru@vndc.in or WhatsApp at 8095374522.
The inaugural edition attracted 108 submissions from 30 countries, according to Nambi. The curated program blends international and domestic pieces, underscoring the global reach of the screendance community. While the selection criteria were not disclosed, the breadth of entries highlights the growing interest in dance‑film hybrids across borders.
The festival’s final day is devoted to outreach and education. Nambi explained that the day will feature screenings for college students, community groups, and schools, as well as a gathering of LURU and Choreoscope artists. This component—restricted to invited participants—aims to expose students and local audiences to screendance, fostering dialogue between creators and viewers.
In describing the medium, Vishwakiran Nambi has said that screendance occupies a liminal space between dance and cinema. He notes that the form “belongs to dance, but not entirely. It belongs to cinema, but not quite.” By foregrounding this tension, the festival seeks to carve out a space in India where screendance can be experienced on its own terms.
In sum, the LURU Screendance Festival 2026 offers a comprehensive platform for dance‑film artists, weaving together in‑person screenings, virtual discussions, and targeted outreach. From the opening night at Suchitra Cinema to the closing community events, the schedule reflects a deliberate effort to showcase choreography’s artistic possibilities on screen while engaging a broad audience across Bengaluru and beyond.
The festival will continue until September 19, after which organizers will assess its impact and plan future editions. No additional programming details have been announced at this time.
The opening night was staged at the Suchitra Cinema and Cultural Academy, where 12 short films—each between four and fifteen minutes—were screened. Filmmakers arrived from the United States, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Czechia, and other nations, bringing a mix of contemporary dance narratives and a single piece that delved into Indian classical dance. According to the festival’s announcement, the first edition intentionally eschews a single theme, allowing the works themselves to speak. That evening also marked the debut of the LURU Awards, a public ceremony that acknowledges excellence in the emerging field of screendance.
From September 13 onward, the festival pivoted to an online format. At 5 p.m. IST, the session Present & Future of Screendance in India launched the virtual program, featuring a dialogue among artists and practitioners about the current landscape and future prospects of the medium. On September 15, the discussion Kalpana: Dance, Cinema & History revisited Uday Shankar’s landmark film, probing its influence on the relationship between dance and cinema. The final online forum, held on September 18 at 7 p.m., brought together selected filmmakers and award‑winning artists to dissect their works and the techniques that define screendance. All online events are open to the public; interested viewers may RSVP via email at luru@vndc.in or WhatsApp at 8095374522.
The inaugural edition attracted 108 submissions from 30 countries, according to Nambi. The curated program blends international and domestic pieces, underscoring the global reach of the screendance community. While the selection criteria were not disclosed, the breadth of entries highlights the growing interest in dance‑film hybrids across borders.
The festival’s final day is devoted to outreach and education. Nambi explained that the day will feature screenings for college students, community groups, and schools, as well as a gathering of LURU and Choreoscope artists. This component—restricted to invited participants—aims to expose students and local audiences to screendance, fostering dialogue between creators and viewers.
In describing the medium, Vishwakiran Nambi has said that screendance occupies a liminal space between dance and cinema. He notes that the form “belongs to dance, but not entirely. It belongs to cinema, but not quite.” By foregrounding this tension, the festival seeks to carve out a space in India where screendance can be experienced on its own terms.
In sum, the LURU Screendance Festival 2026 offers a comprehensive platform for dance‑film artists, weaving together in‑person screenings, virtual discussions, and targeted outreach. From the opening night at Suchitra Cinema to the closing community events, the schedule reflects a deliberate effort to showcase choreography’s artistic possibilities on screen while engaging a broad audience across Bengaluru and beyond.
The festival will continue until September 19, after which organizers will assess its impact and plan future editions. No additional programming details have been announced at this time.
