Her Magnum Opus

Q&A filmmaker Marta Renzi. A freewheeling narrative enacted almost entirely through movement and music, Marta Renzi’s Her Magnum Opus is the award-winning choreographer’s (and longtime friend of Jonathan Demme) ode to creativity and community. Presiding over the festivities is Aileen Passloff, a grey-haired force of nature playing a version of herself. A diverse cast weaves in and out of her home, including a devoted younger friend (dancer Arthur Avilés), a pregnant dancer, a young couple in need of counseling, even a fairytale prince who pops out of a pile of autumn leaves. A tantalizing mix of magical realism and improvised naturalism, the film unfolds in bucolic settings—a beach, a forest, and a country house which holds emotional ties for the group as a source of inspiration and solace.