Summary

Grand Attack explores a coincidence across time: 19th century hysterics and 20th century yoga practitioners have striken nearly identical poses. The iconic hysterical backbend, for example, which culminated the convulsive grande attaque documented by neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, is indistinguishable from ashtanga ‘drop backs’. Why were these institutionalised women of the 19th century assuming yoga poses? Is the contemporary wellness industry a new form of hysteria? Four advanced yoga practitioners summon, on film, new somatic states from centuries-old images.