Twyla Tharp (Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement) is the legendary American choreographer who throughout her sixty-year career has passed through eras and styles making history along the way. Twyla Tharp is nothing short of a phenomenon. Her revolutionary contributions to the global dance ecology are unrivalled by her work that combines rigour and play, classical discipline, and ballet technique with modern dance and natural movements, as well as radically innovative choreography for stage and film. Twyla Tharp is one of the most important choreographers alive.
Carolina Bianchi (Silver Lion) is a leading figure in the experimental scene across South America and internationally, Carolina Bianchi is a performer, director, writer, and image maker extraordinaire, who often utilises the body as a central element in her work, creating highly personal, visceral, and choreographic experiences that touch and challenge us. Bianchi frequently explores gender-based violence by risking her own body through both physical and psychological challenges, firmly grounding herself in the tradition of female performance art while also critiquing it. She is pioneering new frontiers in this field. In 2023, Bianchi premiered the first chapter of her trilogy: The Bride and the Goodnight Cinderella, delving into the profound horrors of sexist violence, akin to a descent into the deepest realms of hell, immersing us into a space where memories intertwine and become indistinct. As she evolves her sensationalist trilogy of works, Bianchi remains at the cutting edge of radical performance, reminding us of the essential need for such uncompromising, brave and compassionate new artistic voices.
