In 2009 veteran documentarian Frederick Wiseman released La Danse, an exhaustive, austere film, which explored the Paris Opera Ballet. It’s tempting to think that Wiseman’s fascinating, nearly three-hour documentary is the only film you need to watch about this somewhat stuffy institution. But then Benjamin Millepied took over as artistic director of the world’s oldest ballet company, and a new chapter started. If Wiseman’s restrained, thoughtful approach echoes the cautious atmosphere of the Ballet as it was, this stylish, dynamic picture captures the new energy that Millepied injected into this august organisation.
A maverick talent best known outside the world of ballet for choreographing Black Swan and marrying Natalie Portman, Millepied is as charismatic as he is unconventional. This glossy, gorgeously photographed documentary focuses on the 39 days running up to the premiere of his first original production for the company. With his wide eyes, ready laugh and radically inclusive attitude to dance, Millepied exerts a formidable personal charm. And, given the celebratory approach of this film, which borders at times on gushing, it’s a charm that seems to have worked its magic on the directors.
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