Angee’s Journey

Angee’s Journey, a documentary dance film
2020
35 minutes
Choreographer/Director- Suchi Branfman
Cinematographer/Editor – Tom Tsai
Producer – Suchi Branfman
Production consultant – Ernst Fenelon Jr.

This thirty-five-minute film, directed by Suchi Branfman, with cinematographer/editor Tom Tsai, is a dance documentary about the making and performance of the choreographic work Angee’s Journey, which premiered in 2019. Angee’s Journey retraces a mother’s pathway to visit her son, every month, during his fourteen-year incarceration; three trains, two buses, two cabs, and twelve hours each way.

Based on the story of Ernst Fenelon Jr., who was arrested on March 3rd, 1991, the same day that Rodney King was brutally beaten. They were both brought to the same LA Central Jail. After 14 1/2 years locked up, and 15 since getting out, what sustained him all those years has been his mother, Angee Fenelon. Angee’s Journey, a 30-minute performance work, was choreographed and premiered live in 2019. Through film of his mother’s stories, visiting room polaroid images, gesture and text, choreographer Suchi Branfman, in deep collaboration with Mr. Fenelon and the dancers, bears witness to one woman’s journey and one son being held together. Performed by Branfman and Fenelon, who took his mother’s journey together in 2018, a chorus of dancers (Cynthia Irobunda, Amy Oden, Anna Paz and Tom Tsai,) and including Angee (now in her eighties) and Ernst’s six-year old son.

Angee’s Journey is a testament to the tens of thousands of women that persist in visiting their incarcerated daughters and sons, fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, year in and year out.

We envision the screenings of the Angee’s Journey documentary situated in a dialogue. The 90 minute online synchronous program includes an introduction to the work (15 minutes,) screening of the film (35 minutes,) a conversation with the artists that includes a q and a (20 minutes) and closing with a facilitated conversation around mass incarceration, the ways we are each somehow engaged with the prison industrial complex, whether consciously or unconsciously, and ways for audiences to become activated to address these issues in their community (15 minutes.) Present for this program will be Suchi Branfman (choreographer, film co-director,) Tom Tsai (film co-director and editor,) Ernst Fenelon Jr. (whose story the film is based on, as available) and dancers Amy Oden and Anna Paz (as available.)

 “Angee’s Journey is a true testament to how art can heal, to an artist’s devotion, to preservation of one’s spirit, and to the power of a mother’s love.”

“…a beautifully edited documentary that traces the entire process of the creation of Angee’s Journey by chronologically weaving both rehearsals and performances.”

“If you have an opportunity to view Angee’s Journey, the documentary, please take it.”

                      Jeff Slayton, LA Dance Chronicle

a dancing through prison walls production, 2020
fmi: dancingthroughprisonwalls (at) gmail.com
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/489601983