Etoiles: Dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet
The Paris Opera Ballet has long been one of the most respected ballet companies in France, and many of the nation's most gifted dancers vie for the privilege of performing there. This documentary offers an intimate look at the men and women of the Paris Opera Ballet as they prepare and rehearse for performances of +Swan Lake and a demanding dance interpretation of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony; the tight-knit but deeply competitive world of ballet is introduced, where close friends often find themselves battling for the same role, and the lessons learned through time and experience often run counter to the gradual decay of the body's mechanisms through age. Etoiles: Dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet was the first theatrical feature from director Nils Tavernier, the son of noted filmmaker Bertrand Tavernier.
Director: Nils Tavernier
Among the many pleasures are the lively intelligence of the artists and their perceptiveness about their own situations.
This is art paying homage to art.
You might expect its beauty but not its intelligence, its ability to reflect the texture of some extraordinary lives.
Overall the film is a fascinating glimpse into an insular world that gives the lie to many clichés and showcases a group of dedicated artists.
While more performance views would have been welcome, this is a treat no balletomane can afford to miss.
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