"YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE IN A DANCE CLASS"

Theatrical documentary by THOMAS GRUBE and ENRIQUE SÁNCHEZ LANSCH
GER, 100 min., HD, 35mm/DCP, Dolby Digital

Rarely has a documentary about classical music received so much resonance and so many awards as the film Rhythm Is It! The weekly newspaper Die Zeit even called for "Rhythm Is It! to become compulsory in all schools". This film is not just about great music of the past, but about issues that affect us all: How do young people develop their talents? How can creativity change all our lives? The film is accompanied by captivating dance scenes and magnificent music performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Sir Simon Rattle.

It was in January 2003, Simon Rattle's first season as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker, that 250 Berlin schoolchildren came together for a unique project. Accompanied by these world-class musicians and led by choreographer Royston Maldoom, the young people from 25 nations danced Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps, one of the most famous ballets of the 20th century.

“Music is not a luxury. It’s a necessity
and people need it like the air they breathe and the water they drink.” 

SIR SIMON RATTLE, conductor

RHYTHM IS IT! is a moving declaration of love to the teenaged dancers and their mentors, a film about the hold music can have on people, a cinematic experience packed with passion, respect and joy for life.

Press notes

“An absolute powerhouse of feelings! It’s not possible to leave the movie theater without being in a good mood, and feeling inspired.”
FAZ Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

“A declaration of love to dancing teenagers, an homage to Royston Maldoom and Sir Simon Rattle - and a clear endorsement of the importance of music!“
Welt am Sonntag

“This emotional movie tells the stirring tale of respect, tolerance, love and passion, and proves that it is worth using unusual methods to connect the beauty of music with social commitment.”
Financial Times

With

250 YOUNG DANCERS FROM BERLIN, BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER, SIR SIMON RATTLE, ROYSTON MALDOOM, SUZ BROUGHTON, MARIE THEINERT, MARTIN EISENTRAUT, OLAYINKA SHITU, FASTER THAN LIGHT DANCE COMPANY, VOLKER EISENACH and many more.

Team

A film by
THOMAS GRUBE and ENRIQUE SÁNCHEZ LANSCH

Wrtiten and directed by: THOMAS GRUBE and ENRIQUE SÁNCHEZ LANSCH, Cinematography: RENÉ DAME, MARCUS WINTERBAUER,  Sound: PASCAL CAPITOLIN, MICHAEL LAUBE, Montage: DIRK GRAU, MARTIN HOFFMANN, Score composer: KARIM SEBASTIAN ELIAS, Original music: LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS by IGOR STRAVINSKY (1882-1971), Commissioning editors: Dorothea Diekmann, Søren Schumann, Coproducer: FRANK EVERS, Producers UWE DIERKS, THOMAS GRUBE, ANDREA THILO 

A BOOMTOWN MEDIA production in coproduction with CINE PLUS and RBB | Arte, in collaboration with ZUKUNFT@BHIL and DANCE UNITED, funded by FFA and MEDIENBOARD BERLIN-BRANDENBURG

World sales by BOOMTOWN MEDIA INTERNATIONAL 

Honors

DVD and Soundtrack

The DVD of the movie is available in stores.
Distributed by AL!VE.

The soundtrack to the movie is available in stores.
Distributed by Naxos.

The movie is available for streaming
on various platforms.