Videos

Physical Theater project of Thomas Mettler which during 5 days in summer 2025 was created for the 1st edition of Oleksii Busko's Dance Festival "M3 FEST" at the wonderful "Maria Zankovetska National Academic Drama Theater" Lviv & it's artistic director Maksym Holenko.

A play of Physical Theater with an outstanding cast of ukrainian dancers actors singers who all got together through Thomas Mettler's 14 years long ongoing personal initiative "GRATIS - but NOT VALUELESS" in a free 3 days-workshop with about 50 participants and from where he choose the actual cast of 29 who were open to such emotional work & and to speak about How They Feel in a country at war - where Art IS a powerful way of RESISTING - and where that night all of them truly put their heart & soul on stage.

Physical Theater project of Thomas Mettler which during 5 days in summer 2025 was created for the 1st edition of Oleksii Busko's Dance Festival "M3 FEST" at the wonderful "Maria Zankovetska National Academic Drama Theater" Lviv & it's artistic director Maksym Holenko.

A play of Physical Theater with an outstanding cast of ukrainian dancers actors singers who all got together through Thomas Mettler's 14 years long ongoing personal initiative "GRATIS - but NOT VALUELESS" in a free 3 days-workshop with about 50 participants and from where he choose the actual cast of 29 who were open to such emotional work & and to speak about How They Feel in a country at war - where Art IS a powerful way of RESISTING - and where that night all of them truly put their heart & soul on stage.

Teaser for feature movie in cinemas in 2023/24
written & directed by Thomas Mettler

The film’s theme is the war in Ukraine’s Dombass which stands exemplary for military conflicts all over the world.
On the banks of the quietly flowing Dnjepr we find a man, a poet, facing the turmoil of war. He is in search of words for the horror, an artistic answer for his theater. Images for the dying and the useless loss of human life, to share hope. The film images travel between the poet’s inner torn and outer shattered world.

Trailer for feature movie in cinemas in 2023/24
written & directed by Thomas Mettler

The film’s theme is the war in Ukraine’s Dombass which stands exemplary for military conflicts all over the world.
On the banks of the quietly flowing Dnjepr we find a man, a poet, facing the turmoil of war. He is in search of words for the horror, an artistic answer for his theater. Images for the dying and the useless loss of human life, to share hope. The film images travel between the poet’s inner torn and outer shattered world.

This 17 minutes Dance-movie is based on Thomas Mettler's new evening-length solo created for Theatres. You see three scenes as chosen parts and adapted for dancing/filming in the nature. The movie was filmed in Centovalli / Ticino and Schaffhausen Rheinfall.

The solo is a quintessence of Thomas Mettler’s artistic work over the last 36 years for the stage.

" t r a n s i t i o " is the new feature-length solo for theatres, that will premiere in the season 2018/19.

The solo is a quintessence of Thomas Mettler’s artistic work over the last 36 years for the stage.

I present here some film material which was shot at Lanzarote, Spain. The fragment is part of my research for an evening length solo for dance stage and theatres. The solo itself is not primarily intended as a “movie” – this scenes are rather meant to illustrate my grasp of research in autumn 2013.

A Dance and Physical Theatre piece
by Thomas Mettler

Performance in the museum "Literary Pridniprovye" in Dnepr/ Ukraine

A Dance and Physical Theatre piece
by Thomas Mettler

Performance in the museum "Literary Pridniprovye" in Dnepr/ Ukraine

"Some Men Must Die"- a piece of Physical Theatre and Dance - was created in October 2015 under artistic direction of Thomas Mettler for the Festival "GOGOLFEST'15" in Kyiv
(full length 1hour 45min).

This video shows you a trailer of the play in Kiev.

"Some Men Must Die"- a piece of Physical Theatre and Dance - was created in October 2015 under artistic direction of Thomas Mettler for the Festival "GOGOLFEST'15" in Kyiv
(full length 1hour 45min).

This video shows you thirty minutes of the play in Kiev.

The documentary is witnessing moments from the opening workshop (open for Ukrainian dancers and actors) through rehearsal footage until the actual premiere in the Theater.

Im Sommer und Herbst 2011 wurde im Centovalli (CH) und dem Valle Vigezzo (I) der Tanzfilm (42 Min.) 'Autumn Leaves' nach der Idee und Choreographie von Thomas Mettler gedreht.

"Eingebettet in die Abfolge von Frühling - Sommer - Herbst schliesst sich der Kreis um Tat, Bedauern und Versöhnung in eindrucksvollen Solo- und Duett-Tanzszenen."

"Incontro - Astad Deboo (India) & Thomas Mettler (CH)

During two summers (in 2009 and 2010) I was honored to have the great indian contemporary dancer Astad Deboo as a guest in my home country Switzerland/Ticino for several weeks of research for our "Incontro" which premiered in 2010.

5 Men Dancing at the "17. Internationales TanzFestival Freiburg", with Chris Aiken (USA), Thomas Mettler (CH), Christian Panouillot (F), Dan Watson (UK) and Rocco Schelleter (D).

original idea / brought together by: Thomas Mettler

5 Men Dancing - a night of improv - London (2008) - Fighting Duet Thomas Mettler and Rick Nodine

shouting: Adam Benjamin and
surprise guest: Andrew Morrish

Stone Walk (2004) - a Dance Improvisation by Thomas Mettler and Chris Lechner around the "balancing stones" of David Stricker.

Performed at the "Dampfzentrale Bern".

6 Men Dancing in Bern at Theater "Dampfzentrale", on 13th and 14th October 2004, were: Adam Benjamin (UK), Rick Nodine (USA), Christos Strinopoulos (GR), Christian Panouillot (F), Chris Lechner (D) and Thomas Mettler (CH)

5 Men Dancing in London at "The Place Theater", on 11. and 12. of June 2004, were: Adam Benjamin (UK), Jordi Cortés Molina (E), Rick Nodine (USA), Christos Strinopoulos (GR), Christian Panouillot (F) and Thomas Mettler (CH).