Siri Hustvedt – Dance Around the Self

This documentary captures the life, work, and intellectual journey of American writer Siri Hustvedt – one of the most significant contemporary voices in literature and the humanities. The film traces Hustvedt from her early years, when the young, curious author left the calm of Minnesota and entered the bustling world of New York, searching for the protagonist of her first novel. This journey shapes her unique literary voice, which blends reflections on language, identity, the body, and feminism. The film presents not only Hustvedt’s creative process but also her relationships with other artists who boldly pursue their visions, as well as her deep bond with her husband, writer Paul Auster – her life partner and intellectual companion, whose illness and passing are woven into this story of love, loss, and memory. The film goes beyond a standard portrait of a writer, offering a story of feminist perspectives, the power of thought, ceaseless curiosity, and how literary imagination intertwines with life.

The film is being presented as part of the project "Cinema as a Laboratory V," co-financed by the Polish-German Cooperation Foundation.