Q&A with Catching Spirits Director Vanessa Beletic

In the haunting short Catching Spirits, writer and director Vanessa Beletic explores the idea that dance, for certain people, can become a power —a supernatural, badass, telepathic, visionary ability. One that must be harnessed and used the right way.

Beletic comes from the commercial world, where she’s created award-winning work for brands like Levis, Theory, Estee Lauder, and Samsung and has influenced a new category of storytelling that continues to permeate digital culture today.

Could Catching Spirits win Beletic even more acclaim in the form of an Academy Award? Since it was an official selection in eight Academy qualifying film festivals, and even won the Jury Award Live Action Shorts at the New Hampshire Film Festival, it’s Oscar-eligible.

Which is super exciting. I’ve never had the honor of talking with a potential Oscar contender before. Well, “corresponding with” is more accurate, since Beletic graciously agreed to answer some questions I submitted in writing. Here’s the Q&A that ensued. Following the synopsis, that is, which also contains a link to view the trailer.

Catching Spirits Synopsis

Since childhood, Destiny has been told she has seizures when she dances. An unexplained phenomena that’s resulted in deep fear and her refusal to dance- despite being drawn to it. What she doesn’t know, is that she has an ancient ability – a birthright of the Haitian women in her lineage going back for ages. Today, in LA, Destiny is still in the dark about her ancestral power but strange things are happening. Destiny is tormented by voices in her head, calling her to “test the waters” and compelling her to stalk someone.

Watch the trailer here: https://www.catchingspiritsfilm.com/trailer.

Q&A

Haunt Jaunts: First off, thanks so much for taking the time to answer a few questions, Vanessa. I’ll limit it to just four, starting with…As someone who’s been a professional dancer herself (meaning you, not me lol), it seems like your background definitely influenced Catching Spirits, but was the concept conjured while you were still dancing? Or is the better question, do you still dance in addition to filmmaking?

Beletic: Hi Courntey -so happy to talk with you about Catching Spirits. Dance is still a part of my daily practice as an artist -even as a director. Before I sit down to write, I use dance/movement first to loosen up, clear my mind and get ideas flowing. I imagine it’s the same idea for directors who are also runners. The movement is simultaneously a mind clearing activity and “me time” where inspiration can flow through!

The concept for Catching Spirits was born out of two things -the first, having been a professional dancer, I have had experiences where I “lost myself” in the dance and went to another place. I couldn’t tell you in the moment whether 1 minute or 1 hour had gone by. I couldn’t tell you what my body was doing at the moment either -was it keeping rhythm? Was it convulsing? Generally speaking, dancers know and accept the idea of “blacking out” as a universal truth -it can happen in a club. It happens when you’re truly in the moment and all the elements and energy is right.

The second thing is, that dance in spiritual and religious practices throughout the world, has been a means of “tapping into” the other side. In the Southern Baptist church, we hear about people catching the Holy Ghost during a praise break. In Haitian Vodou, dance and rhythm is used to communicate with specific spirits. More examples of dance as a way to connect with spirit or even God appear in parts of Asia.

HJ: On your Director’s Statement, you explained how with Catching Spirits, you’re “exploring the idea that dance for certain people, can become a power – a supernatural, bad-ass, telepathic, visionary ability. One that must be harnessed and used the right way.”

Is that the basis that inspired the awesome line when one of the dancers tells Destiny, “So here’s what we’re going to do today. And you’re gonna live, you’re gonna learn, and you’re gonna be free. You can’t let that shit hold you down.”?

Beletic: I love that you zeroed in on that line, because it could be over looked- but you’re right, it DOES have double meaning.

The dancer delivering the line has no idea that what he’s saying has hidden meaning for Destiny. How could he? He thinks he’s giving a shy girl advice about coming out of her shell. Quite often in dance training, teachers will say, “You’re here to learn technique and once you’ve learned, you go out on the dance floor and just live the movement”

But with that line of dialogue, he’s also giving a girl with a potentially dangerous ability the permission to accept a power she doesn’t understand! He just doesn’t know it.

HJ: How some religions fear dance (and its power) or embrace it, depending on the religion, is something else you mention in your Director’s Statement, as is the desire to expand Catching Spirits from a short into a feature where you explore that more. Have you set any balls in motion on making that happen yet?

Beletic: I’m currently writing the feature version of Catching Spirits. There are so few dance thrillers we can point to outside of Black Swan, the two Suspirias and Climax. I’d say Suspiria is the only film in that grouping where the dance itself is the actual “magic,” but even there, it’s more about a coven of witches and not rooted in any culture.

I’m inspired to explore dance as the actual supernatural power and explore all the freaky, otherworldly opportunities: divining the future, communicating with spirits, taking on a spirit and its powers to do fierce, mystifying, inhuman things.

And I like the idea of tapping into the primal fear and bias very religious people have against those who practice African spiritual traditions that utilize dance.

There’s so much built-in tension within the Caribbean American diaspora, between the deeply Christian religious community and those who practice a more traditional spirituality. It’s a world I know well, having been a professional dancer and being born and raised in Haiti, where those who practice Vodou use dance to communicate with spirit.  Although, for the record, there’s nothing scary about Vodou! Don’t let those old movies fool ya.

HJ: And, finally, there’s a moment at the end of your film where a very specific symbol appears. For those (like myself) who recognize symbolism when they see it but aren’t good at interpreting it, does that have any special significance?

Beletic: There’s quite a bit of symbolism in that entire scene with what happens to Destiny. I was inspired in my research when writing the film to learn that those who catch a spirit while dancing, will often take on the characteristics of the spirit. Non-smokers, will start to smoke. Non-drinkers will take big swings of whiskey, that sort of thing. The specific moment you’re thinking of is born out of that idea but putting a supernatural spin on it.

It’s our cue as viewers that Destiny has come out of this experience, (one she was made to be afraid of all of her life) CHANGED, confident, OWNING IT. She has arrived!

Which is not to say she isn’t dangerous. A woman fully in her power is totally dangerous. *insert sinister laugh here*

For More Info

Visit https://www.catchingspiritsfilm.com.

Check-In

Have you ever “lost yourself” —or perhaps connected with God, Spirit, or something “Bigger”— while dancing?