BISTOURY PHYSICAL THEATRE AND FILM
|
Bistoury Physical Theatre and Film was founded in Caracas, Venezuela in 2005 as an avant-garde platform for dance, theater, and film. In 2007, the company re-established itself in Miami with the presentation of BOLO, supported by a Guggenheim Fellowship. Since then, Bistoury has presented groundbreaking interdisciplinary work locally and internationally, with a focus on experimentation, hybrid formats, and pushing aesthetic and physical boundaries.
The company has showcased works at the Miami Science Museum, Movement Research at Judson Church (NYC), and festivals across Europe, Latin America, and the U.S. In 2009, Bistoury premiered SYMBOL, a multimedia play commissioned by Miami Light Project and the Adrienne Arsht Center, followed by Schizo Bolo, Assassins for One Night (La Biennale di Venezia), and Imaginarium Life. These works explored the convergence of live performance with video art, expanding the company’s visual language. In 2011, Bistoury expanded into filmmaking, producing Urban Stories, winner of Best Movie, Best Screenplay, and Best Cinematography at the Bootleg International Film Festival (Toronto), among other awards. The company’s short films—including RESET (Cannes Court Métrage), Imaginarium, and Interrupta—have been screened at major festivals worldwide, including in Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Uruguay, and the Netherlands. Bistoury’s history in Miami includes the premiere of The Holders at the Miami International Film Festival, FEMME at ScreenDance Miami 2021, THE ANARCHIST and THE FEAR OF FREEDOM at Miami-Dade County Auditorium, and MIKI MANIACO at O Cinema (2022). In 2023, the company presented BIRD WOMAN at Miami Theater Center, and THE COMMUNE OF ORANGES at MDCA. The feature film CONEJO screened at the 38th Miami Film Festival. |
In October 2024, the company premiered POR DENTRO at Inkūb8 in Miami and later presented it in Costa Rica in early 2025. The immersive performance explored perception, instability, and transformation through a hybrid of physical theater and dance. That same season, the short experimental film ALIEN by Carla Forte premiered at O Cinema in Miami Beach. In 2025, Bistoury launched WATERMUSE, a new multimedia work reflecting on ecological themes, feminine archetypes, and memory, blending video, voice, and performance.
Bistoury is also the producer of the 305 & HAVANA / INTERNATIONAL IMPROV FESTIVAL, which celebrated its 9th edition in 2025, with programming in both Miami and San José, Costa Rica. The festival brings together artists from across the Americas to explore improvisation in dance, music, and multimedia, with performances, workshops, and community exchanges. Over the years, Bistoury has received support from the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs through the Community Grants Program (2008–2016) and the Developing Arts in Neighborhoods (DAN) program (2017–present). It has maintained long-term partnerships with local institutions such as the Miami-Dade County Auditorium and O Cinema, reflecting its sustained impact on the local cultural ecosystem. Rooted in the immigrant experience and the dynamic diversity of Miami, Bistoury remains committed to artistic innovation, transdisciplinary collaboration, and community engagement through performances, screenings, and training initiatives that challenge convention and foster dialogue. |
BFTF BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
BFTF BOARD OF ADVISORS |
|
CARLA FORTE
President/Director ALEXEY TARAN Vice-President/Director PEDRO GUEVARA Treasurer CARLOS ORTIZ Secretary |
VICENTE FORTE
Director of the Literature Department VIVIAN MARTHELL Board Member HEATHER MALONEY Board Member |
