They Shoot Horses

Director Statement

‘They Shoot Horses’ title derives from Sidney Pollack’s depression-era dance marathon film, ‘They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?’. It also looks to Shirley Jackson’s short story ‘The Lottery’, Mike Kelley’s video installation and performance piece ‘Day is Done’, Wolfgang and Christoph Lauenstein’s animated short ‘Balance’, and Denis Villeneuve’s short film ‘Next Floor’. In each work, a group of people acts as a singular character of sorts.

This project depicts how a desire to conform to a physical ideal can lead to dehumanization. The characters in ‘They Shoot Horses’ become depersonalized, and the film analyzes the repercussions of this transformation.

Repetition emerges as a pivotal aspect of the narrative. Performing exercises as a group enacts conformity through both action and movement.

The film’s editing and music underscore this emphasis on repetition. The recurring motifs in Steve Reich’s seminal ‘Music for 18 Musicians’ inspired the movement in the film.

The film is also influenced by Claire Denis’ ‘Beau Travail’ (repetition, cinematography, visuals), the Quay Brothers’ ‘Institute Benjamenta’ (repetition), and Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Suspiria’ (costumes and movement).