It’s not often that a Frederick Wiseman film hits theatres, so it was a bit of a surprise to hear that his latest feature, La Danse, will be opening nationally in November! This is great news for those of us who missed the premiere screenings in Toronto and Venice. Also, a trailer has hit the net and looks to be both beautifully shot and curiously engaging. Even though my interest in ballet is practically non-existent, I trust in Wiseman to give me an accessible glimpse into what looks to be an extremely stressful creative environment that looks to be the perfect setting for some serious drama! Here’s the official synopsis from the press release:
Documentary master Frederick Wiseman’s 38th film in a career that has spanned more than 40 years, turns his attention to one of the world’s greatest ballet companies, the Paris Opera Ballet. The camera roams the vast Palais Garnier, an opulent 19th-century building: from its crystal chandelier-laden corridors to its labyrinthine underground chambers, from its light-filled rehearsal studios to its luxurious theater replete with 2,200 scarlet velvet seats and Marc Chagall ceiling. LA DANSE devotes most of its time to watching impossibly beautiful young men and women — among them Nicolas Le Riche, Marie-Agnès Gillot, and Agnès Letestu — rehearsing and/or performing seven ballets, including: Genus by Wayne McGregor, Paquita by Pierre Lacotte, The Nutcracker by Rudolf Nureyev, Medea by Angelin Preljocaj, The House of Bernarda Alba by Mats Ek, Romeo and Juliet by Sasha Waltz and Orpheus and Eurydyce by Pina Bausch. For balletomanes and the curious alike, LA DANSE serves up a scrumptious meal of delectable moments, one more glorious than the next, made even more precious by their ephemeral nature.
LA DANSE: THE PARIS OPERA BALLET will have a 2-week engagement November 4-17 at Film Forum, 209 W. Houston St. (W. of 6th Av.) with screenings daily at 1:15, 5:30 and 8:30, followed by a national roll out. Until then, you can head over to Zipporah Films to purchase some of Wiseman’s previous films.
LONG LIVE MR. WISEMAN! There is hope…perhaps….Im surprised they are going for a national roll out. Bravo….and i cant say im a big Ballet fan either…in his hands its sure to be interesting.
Please tell those many thousands of us ballet lovers in San Francisco that La Danse will be coming to a theater in our area!!
will this movie come to houston???
When will this movie come to Lewiston, Idaho? When will we be able to purchase the DVD?
Another San Franciscan asking when La Danse will be playing in San Francisco or elsewhere in the Bay Area.
This is a total gem of a movie. The film is a dance itself–beautifully choreographed. I loved it!
When is La Danse coming to the SF/Bay Area. We need to know!!!
San Francisco BAY AREA update:
La Danse is currently playing at The Roxie, SF, until Jan 14, 2010.
(not sure if this was posted elsewhere)
When is La Danse coming to Washington DC? We would love to see it on a large screen. Frederick Wiseman was on Charlie Rose this evening and stated that La Danse will be shown on PBS sometime this summer.
When will this film come to Providence , R.I. or New Bedford, Ma?
The DVD is available online from Mr. Wiseman’s production company, Zipporah Films. http://www.zipporah.com/orders
Here’s the listing of cities and theaters where the film will show:
http://www.zipporah.com/calendar/press/19
Check your local theater’s website for showings.
Enjoy!
Great documentary but VERY disappointing seeing it projected from a DVD to the big screen in a theater. Soft focus–or lack of same. Lines. Pixelated subtitles.
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