Kelly
Hargraves
About Kelly
Kelly is an Canadian dance film creator and curator residing in California since 2000. A trailblazer in the intersection of movement and film, Kelly has been instrumental in shaping DCW’s legacy, from co-founding the dance film festival in 2001 to returning in 2018 with a renewed vision of inclusivity and innovation. Kelly’s roots are in dance and film, which provide the foundation of her pioneering work with DCW, including her advocacy for underrepresented voices through the Visibility initiative, for which she has executive produced 16 films since 2019. She has seen first hand how the genre of dance film has evolved over the years, amplifies the importance of creative collaborations, and hopes that the festival continues to unite artists and audiences from around the world.
Kelly has directed several dance films that screen internationally, and she travels as a guest lecturer, panel speaker and jury member. In Summer 2026 she is a 2026 artist in residence in Tbilisi Georgia and will be part of MOVEMENT FEST LA at LA Dance Project space. In Fall 2026 she will teach dance filmmaking at the Colburn Conservatory in Los Angeles.
Education
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New York University, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
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Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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University of Windsor, Ontario
Multi Awarded
With Accolades Including
Notable Mentions
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Beyond Border Intl Film Fest, 2025, Award Winner
Rainer Film Festival (Seattle), 2025, Award Winner
Sofia International Film Fest, 2023, Award Winner
Liber Films International, 2023, Award Winner
MyMrsTimeless, 2021, Award Winner
So Limitless and Free Int'l, 2017, Award Winner
Cinema Carnival, 2024, Honorable Mention
Dialog Film Festival, 2024, Honorable Mention
Sweden Film Awards, 2021, Finalist
Boden International Film Fest, 2021, Finalist
InShort Film Festival, 2018, Finalist
AltFF Alternative Film Festival, 2018, Finalist
Ουδεις International Film Fest, 2021, Semi-Finalist
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Palma Film Festival, 2024, Official Selection
305 International Improv, 2024, Official Selection
Festival Videodanza de Puerto Rico, 2024, Official Selection
East Coast Dance Arts, 2024, Official Selection
DANCINEMA, 2023, Official Selection
Greensboro Dance Film Festival, 2024, Official Selection
Greenwich Film Festival, 2023, Honorable Mention
Moovy Tanzfilmfestival, 2023, Semi-Finalist
Near Nazareth Festival (NNF), 2023, Semi-Finalist
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Palma Film Festival, 2024, Official Selection
Festival Videodanza de Puerto Rico, 2024, Official Selection
Dancefilmmaking.com, 2024, Official Selection
Thessaloniki Cinedance, 2021, Official Selection
Roma Cinema DOC, 2019, Official Selection
Retransmisión Independent Film, 2018, Official Selection
Short Cine Fest, 2018, Official Selection
305 Int'l Improv Fest, 2018, Official Selection
Cine Campus, 2018, Official Selection
AltFF Film Festival, 2018, Finalist
FROSTBITE Int'l Indie Fest, 2017, Finalist
Los Angeles CineFest, 2017, Semi-Finalist
Trailers and Previews
Articles and Interviews
Before there was Ryan Gosling as the cool loner in DRIVE, there was Joe Jurd in CARGO, shot on the long, lonely high roads of British Columbia in 2009. More body/less blood.
“A powerfully provocative short {dance film} in which choreography and camera become equal partners in expressing an emotionally-charged moment.” – About.com