Helena Franzén & Håkan Jelk
Welcome to the FRANZÉN/JELK, showcasing the collaboration between choreographer and dancer Helena Franzén and film photographer Håkan Jelk. Since 2011, they have been creating unique dance films that merge time, space, and movement into a meditative and poetic experience. Their work emphasizes presence and reflection, using long takes and a slow tempo to reveal the profound connection between body, place, and story. Here, you can explore their artistic journey, where dance and film intertwine to push the boundaries of traditional cinematic and photographic expressions.
In our work with dance film, we strive to create something that transcends the ordinary, something that offers a space for the viewer to pause, experience, and reflect. We aim to counter fragmentation and the rapid pace of today’s media landscape. Instead, we work with “slow cinema,” employing long takes and extended cuts that allow time and space for presence, both within the image and the movement.
This time and stillness invite the viewer to truly immerse themselves in the image, feel the place, and be influenced by the movement and its dialogue with the surroundings.
In our practice, movement and place are in constant dialogue. Movement is born in harmony with the environment; the place is not a background but a co-creator. We explore the physical and emotional qualities of the place, its ability to carry memories and create meaning. Through dance and the linear passage of time, characteristic of slow cinema, we give the place a voice and let it speak through the body and the movement.
Movement and Place
The movement in our films is born in harmony with the place. We explore the physical environment and let it dictate the parameters of the choreography. The place becomes an active co-creator – it carries traces, tells its own story, and leaves memories. This way of working blurs the boundary between body and environment; the dance becomes a way to let the place speak, to give it a voice. At the same time, the place amplifies the physical expression of the dance and imbues it with meaning.
A Tactile Expression
We strive for a tactile experience in our films – a sense of being able to touch the image, the movement, and the place. By working linearly rather than fragmentarily, we create a cohesive flow in which the viewer can fully immerse themselves. The formal framework becomes a space where the unexpected can emerge – a structure where time and movement are allowed to interact on their own terms.
The Poetry of Places
Places are central to our work, not just as backgrounds but as active narrators. We are interested in the invisible traces that places leave, their layers of memory, and their potential to transform us. A place can open us up, make us see the world with fresh eyes, and dance sharpens this vision. Through movement and dance, we can explore the deeper order of a place – its ability to influence our bodies and our thoughts. We investigate how a place can be both concrete and filled with space, how it can give us a sense of belonging or distance, of closeness or loss.
Dance as Movement and Breath
In our films, dance becomes a form of breathing, a movement through time and space that connects the viewer to both the physical and the poetic. The movement traces the room, creates space, and the dance leaves marks in both the place and the viewer. Dance is both fleeting and concrete. A language that speaks to emotions, a poetry that opens up experience and reflection.
Through our work with dance film, we aim to create a space for experience, where the viewer not only sees but also feels and engages, where body, place, and movement merge into a whole. Here, the viewer is given the time to breathe, to be present, and to find their own narrative in what we create.
About Slow Cinema
Slow cinema offers an alternative cinematic experience that encourages contemplation and a deeper connection to the film. By slowing down the pace and focusing on details, these films create a meditative atmosphere that can lead to a more engaged and personal interpretation by the viewer. In an era dominated by rapid editing and instant gratification, slow cinema serves as a reminder of the value of patience and reflection.
