We were allowed to turn on the lights in the theatre at ACUD Kino for change. Director Meritxell Campos Olivé and producer Dieter Meier joined us on the second weekend of the Dokumentale to discuss their documentary Surfing Einstein.
The film follows a group of physicists going about their daily lives at the Physics Institute of Sapienza University in Rome and the Virgo Research Center near Pisa. One hundred years after Albert Einstein predicted gravitational waves, this group managed to successfully confirm this aspect of Einstein’s theory of relativity. The documentary delves into the interpersonal and emotional dimensions of their research project, with the physicists telling their stories through dance and their own unique forms of physical expression.
Why did you decide to let the physicists tell their story through elements of dance?
Dieter Meier: I think it’s because no one has ever done anything like this before. It almost felt like Meritxell created a magical state. I believe this film is truly unique. It opens up a whole new world. No one has ever pursued such an independent approach so thoroughly, and that leads to a distinct type of engagement with the film.
Meritxell Campos Olivé: I would describe the film as a mix of documentary and art film because it combines science and dance. The group of nineteen physicists who searched for gravitational waves in Italy and finally discovered them 100 years after Einstein’s prediction experienced feelings of great euphoria in 2015. They even received a Nobel Prize. They called me, as a choreographer, to ask if I could create a dance theatre piece explaining gravitational waves. I found the idea fascinating. I knew nothing about physics, but thought, ‘I’d love to take a closer look at this.’ So, I flew to Rome and conducted interviews with the group.
After a few days, I realized that the true protagonists weren’t the gravitational waves they were researching but the physicists themselves. Over the course of 100 years, they had experienced every human emotion. For me, they represent many values that are becoming increasingly rare in our society: the strength of the group, the collective, the community; generosity; and the solidarity between generations that arises through shared knowledge. They don’t put themselves forward as individuals; for them, the community is what matters most. I thought that would be a beautiful example to showcase today: it is possible to work like this—and perhaps it’s even better this way.
The physicists had no prior dance experience. How did you manage to translate their emotions into dance?
Meritxell Campos Olivé: That’s correct: the physicists had no prior dance experience. Our protagonists are a very diverse group, spanning various ages and nationalities. Many of them told us they’d never danced before—not even in a club. Their lives were entirely dedicated to physics. Either they were sitting at a computer analysing data or they were working on complex machinery. It was a huge surprise when I suggested that we create a documentary where they tell their stories, not conventionally through words but using their bodies and movement. They were immediately on board. There was jubilation, and I was very surprised.
How did you guide them choreographically?
Meritxell Campos Olivé: We developed a specific performance tailored to each individual’s personality. I used minor prompts and questions to draw material out of them. Afterwards, I worked with them to refine and polish that material, getting rid of some movements and taking others further. This process was always collaborative, both one-on-one and in groups.
It’s important to me to emphasize one thing: that the choreographies didn’t come from me. I didn’t stand in front of them and teach them steps. The physicists were the choreographers of what they dance in the film.
What surprised you most about working with the physicists?
Meritxell Campos Olivé: What surprised and delighted me was their humility and their complete lack of fear about revealing themselves, even as physicists suddenly becoming dancers. There was such trust. I realized that physicists are a unique kind of scientist. They are grounded here on Earth, engaging with the small details, while they simultaneously look up at the vast universe around us. That viewpoint seems to put everyday life into perspective. Maybe that’s why they don’t mind if they make a fool of themselves or don’t look perfect—they’re always aware of how small they are in the grand scheme of things.
Meritxell Campos Olivé asks Dieter Meier: When you saw the film for the first time, were you also impressed by the performances of these non-dancers stepping into the role of dancers?
Dieter Meier: It was something I never could have imagined. It had its own unique dynamic. At first, it was very strange and perhaps a little crazy for them, but it transformed and evolved. It’s incredible how deeply they committed to it.
What do you think is the power of mixing artistic and documentary elements?
Meritxell Campos Olivé: A documentary always has a connection to art, directly or indirectly. In this film, we made it explicit through dance as an art form. But whenever a film is made, there’s always a creative component involved.
Scientific research is not usually associated with emotions, yet your film focuses heavily on them. Why was that important to you?
Meritxell Campos Olivé: During my time with the physicists, emotions were ever-present. We often imagine scientists as nerds staring at computers, but that wasn’t my experience at all with this group. They told me about the emotional rollercoaster they had been on together—thinking they’d finally detected a gravitational wave, only to find out it was a false alarm. The disappointment. Regaining hope. Their perseverance is astonishing.
Time and again, they stumbled, made mistakes, and picked themselves back up—until they finally made their discovery, which unleashed true euphoria and overwhelming joy. They still speak of it with tears in their eyes. I can truly say that if these people are made of anything, it’s emotion.
Dieter Meier: You could say, ‘Become like children.’ And there would be nothing disparaging about that. It’s about letting yourself fall back into a state you’ve never known. It’s also about having the courage not to give up and dismiss everything as nonsense or a joke. It’s about finding yourself within this story.
What do you hope the audience will take away from your film?
Dieter Meier: I hope that people watching the film will allow themselves to be immersed in this unique story and its special form of storytelling. Of course, some might not like it or choose not to watch it to the end—and that’s fine.
Meritxell Campos Olivé: I hope the emotions that the group experienced are conveyed to the audience—that people resonate with their feelings, as emotions are truly universal. We all feel, in every direction, and I hope that’s understood and met with empathy.
