Waiting on the sidelines of a dimly lit dance floor in an otherwise neon-soaked Tokyo club, a Yume (Bambi Naka) is about to  live out her biggest dream and face her biggest fear. By stepping out onto the dance floor, she is quite literally taking her first step towards becoming a professional dancer. But with little formal training and no money to her name, Yume is prepared to give her blood, sweat, and tears to turn this dream into a reality.

Canadian-born, Japan-based filmmaker Philippe McKie’s underground dance drama Dreams on Fire is a fascinating character study of a young woman’s stalwart ambition to succeed. Mesmerizing choreography and heavy-hitting music from IC3PEAK, S.P.Y, Hospital Records, and Shogun Audio contribute to the film’s vibey EDM aesthetic and electrifying narrative.

Before she found herself in that Tokyo nightclub, Yume was an aspiring dancer from a small country village. Convinced that she’ll receive no opportunities in her small town, she naively runs away from home and heads to Tokyo where she believes her future awaits her. Yume is a beautiful girl but lacks agency and general life experience, making her an easy target for the vultures of the darker side of the dance world.

Initially, Yume lands a job as a “hostess” which turned out to be nothing more than a female companion for wealthy businessmen. Then, seeing an opportunity to focus on dancing, she accepts a role as a go-go dancer for fetish nights at a seedy nightclub in the city. Unknowingly, Yume starts heading down a slippery slope as the roles become more and more sexual; they are technically dance-related, but not the kind she ultimately wants.

Not one to give up, she continues to hustle toward her professional aspirations until a chance encounter sets her on a different trajectory.Hands down, Bambi Naka is the undiscovered highlight of Dreams on Fire. The former lead dancer on Madonna’s “Rebel Heart Tour,” Bambi makes her feature film debut as a complex, layered character whose talent is equally matched by her ambition. She is mesmerizing to watch, both in dialogue-heavy scenes and scenes that show off her incredible dance floor agility. I really hope to see more of her in films to come.

In addition to the awe-inspiring performance from Naka, the supporting cast is equally as energetic and commanding on-screen. Standouts include model, YouTube make-up influencer, and Harajuku Fashion icon Haruka Kurebayashi; popular idol group Akishibu Project member Rinomaru; adult-film star Okuda Saki; celebrated fetish and circus performer YUSURA; and Mika, Mirin, and Yuriya of the internationally recognized, widely acclaimed go-go dance crew CyberJapan.

Dreams on Fire is a testament to Lady Gaga’s favorite quote, “There can be a hundred people in the room, and 99 don’t believe in you, but one does.” She was roasted on the awards circuit in 2018 for repeating that statement over and over again, but there’s no denying that it’s good advice. Advice that Yume stuck with and ultimately led to her life-changing big break.