A Dancer follows her passion in

Dreams on Fire

by Kathia Woods

Yume is passionate about dance. She travels to Tokyo to enroll in dance school, participate in dance competitions, get employed as a dancer, and experience everything that comes with the highs and lows of being a dancer.

Dreams on Fire is the first film by Philippe McKie, exploring the lives of artists who live in the Japanese subcultures and love what they do. They have a fire inside them to keep their dreams going. Written and directed by Philippe McKie. The film is about Yume, a young Japanese girl who wants to dance professionally and all the perils of choosing such a life. It's interesting to see the hardships and challenges of being a professional dancer. The plot is one in which the lead character carries the film, and the other characters are an extension of her story. We see her trying to find her way.

The director helps to move the plot along with like a music video with solid colors, intense dancing, colorful costumes, and dazzling décor. The mixture, at times, can seem like sensory overload, but it works uniquely.

This is Bambi Naka second major role. We care about Yume because of her performance. She is captivating to see while she is on stage acting or dancing. Bambi embodies the role, and she completely submerges herself in the character of Yume. When it comes to performing and becoming Yume, she does not stand back. She has talent, a unique persona, and an engaging presence, all of which make her one to watch and grow in this film.

The cinematographer, James Latimer, brings a beautiful sense of color and balance to the visuals. He uses angles to ensure that the lead actress is illuminated. Latimer's work is impressive since you can see so much of it in every frame, making each scene specific, but it isn't overpowering (unless it needs to be). There is a lot of image-building in the cinematography and awareness of locations and how to use them to their fullest potential. Light is also captured beautifully. This is the kind of work that, when seen in a movie, makes the movie inviting and interesting. If you aren't sold on Yumi's journey, the cinematography should seal the deal for you.

Dreams on Fire is a well-regarded film on the Japanese subcultures that includes many smaller, marginalized communities that people may identify with. The slideshow attracts the reader and compels them to look at additional slides. It's a wonderland tale of music, dance, and a celebration of artistry all rolled into one.