Trailer To Director Jamila Wignot’s ‘Ailey’
NEON has released the trailer to Jamila Wignot’s Ailey, the moving and intimate portrait of dance legend Alvin Ailey. The film traces the full contours of this extraordinary artist’s life and his connection to the present dance company that bears his name. Weaving together never-before-heard audio interviews recorded in the last year of his life with rare dance performances by the Ailey Company and first-hand accounts, audiences get to experience a piece of Ailey's genius. The film hits theaters on July 25th.
Alvin Ailey was a visionary artist who found salvation through dance. Ailey explores the life and work of this brilliant and enigmatic man whose search for truth in movement resulted in pioneering choreography that centers on African American experiences. This resonant biography grants artful access to the man who, at only 27 years old, founded one of the world’s most renowned dance companies—the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Told through Ailey’s own words and featuring evocative archival footage and interviews with those who knew him, the film reveals the enduring power of Ailey’s vision by exploring his biography through the creation of a new commission inspired by his life.
Ailey’s story is one of sacrifice. Possessed by his ambitions, he dedicated himself to his company. He endured racism and homophobia; addiction and mental illness; and the burden of being an iconic African American artist. Thirty years after his death, Ailey’s dream lives on.
Ailey is directed by Jamila Wignot, produced by Lauren DeFilippo and edited by Annukka Lilja. Rebecca Kent served as archival producer while Naiti Gámez was director of photography and Al Malonga was production designer. Daniel Bernard Roumain composed the music.
