“Strike a Pose” Premieres in New York

Following critical acclaim and successful premieres in Berlin and Tribeca earlier this year, “Strike a Pose” comes to New York for its theatrical release at IFC on January 18, 2017, followed by its broadcast premiere, an exclusive VOD release, and a home video release later in June to celebrate LGBTQ Pride month. The documentary is made by Amsterdam-based filmmakers Reijer Zwaan & Ester Gould

Strike a Pose is a fabulously candid documentary that reunites these sleek and effervescent dancers, exploring their lives after the tour and legal battles with Madonna, their glamorous and largely inspirational impact upon society, the horrific effects of HIV/AIDS during and since the 90’s, what it meant to participate in one of the most iconic and controversial tours of pop history. 

About Strike a Pose

In 1990, seven young male dancers  – six gay, one straight – joined Madonna on her most controversial tour. On stage and in the iconic film Truth or Dare – one of the highest-grossing documentaries ever – they showed the world how to express yourself. Now, 25 years later, they reveal the truth about life during and after the tour. Strike a Pose is a film about overcoming shame and finding the courage to be who you are. 

As a self-proclaimed mother to her dancers, Madonna used the film to take a stand on gay rights, freedom of expression and the fight against AIDS. Madonna’s flamboyant dancers became icons of sexual freedom, but ironically they weren’t living it. 

Gabriel wasn’t proud of being gay and after failing to persuade Madonna to cut out the kissing scene that would ‘out’ him to his family and friends, he filed a lawsuit against her. Carlton – big, bold and the only dancer who was trusted to lift up the pop icon – was HIV-positive and almost collapsed under the secret that he was carrying on tour. A third dancer is still hiding an important part of himself and now finally wants to open up. For the first time, they tell us how hard it has been to live the liberated life they were promoting on stage.

About the directors

Ester Gould (1975) is a Scottish-born documentary filmmaker who lives and works in Amsterdam. She studied Film and Journalism in Amsterdam and New York (NYU Tisch School of the Arts). Her second feature-length documentary “A Strange Love Affair With Ego” won Best Dutch Documentary award at IDFA last November.

Reijer Zwaan (1981) is a journalist and filmmaker for Dutch Public Television. He works as deputy editor-in-chief for Nieuwsuur (Newshour), the main current affairs program in the Netherlands. Reijer was eleven years old when he first saw “Truth or Dare”. He was fascinated by the film and as the years passed, he couldn’t help but ask himself what might have happened to the young dancers who had made such an impact. Strike a Pose is his first feature-length film.

Screenings

January 18 – 24, 2017 – IFC Center – New York, NY

January 20 – 26, 2017 – Frida Cinema – Santa Ana, CA

January 20 – 26, 2017 – Texas Theatre – Dallas, TX

January 20 & 22, 2017 – ACME Screening Room – Lambertville, NJ

January 26, 2017 – Frameline at the Roxie Theater – San Francisco, CA

January 27 – February 2, 2017 – Laemmle Fine Arts – Los Angeles, CA

February 3, 2017 – Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol – Sebastopol, CA

February 5, 2017 – DuSable Event- Chicago, IL

February 10, 2017 – Orange County Museum of Art – Orange County, CA  

January 18 – 24, 2017 – IFC Center – New York, NY 

January 20 – 26, 2017 – Frida Cinema – Santa Ana, CA 

January 20 – 26, 2017 – Texas Theatre – Dallas, TX 

January 20 & 22, 2017 – ACME Screening Room – Lambertville, NJ 

January 26, 2017 – Frameline at the Roxie Theater – San Francisco, CA 

January 27 – February 2, 2017 – Laemmle Fine Arts – Los Angeles, CA 

February 3, 2017 – Rialto Cinemas Sebastopol – Sebastopol, CA 

February 5, 2017 – DuSable Event- Chicago, IL 

February 10, 2017 – Orange County Museum of Art – Orange County, CA  

April 6, 2017 – On network Logo, 9PM