Special program "Embodiments of Art"  

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La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet

The Paris Opera ballet is one of the world’s great ballet companies. The film shows all the aspects of the work and life of this cultural institution from administration, technical support, and classes, to the rehearsal and performances of seven ballets, including Paquita by Pierre Lacotte, The Nutcracker by Rudolf Noureev, Genus by Wayne McGregor, 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. By filming daily courses, repetitions and performances, Frederick Wiseman highlights the French school of ballet, known for its emphasis on rigorous attention to technical perfection and precision of movement. Following his long working method, Wiseman listens to the institution as it speaks and tries to identify the rule it lives by. The substance of Wiseman’s particular genius is the way it transfixes you with the inner workings of an institution you may not otherwise care about.

Festivals and Awards

Hong Kong International Film festival (2010)
Nominated for César Award for the Best Documentary (2010)
London Film Festival (2009)
Toronto International Film Festival (2009)
Venice International Film Festival (2009)

Frederick Wiseman

Born in Boston in 1930, American filmmaker Frederick Wiseman is renowned for his ability to subtly record and paint the portraits of leading North American institutions, such as prisons, hospitals, and schools. Already with his first film, Wiseman has established a style he would use in all his documentaries: his essay-like films contain no interviews, added music, or commentary and follow no chronological order. As a result there is enough room for the audience to make up its own mind about the meaning of the material. Wiseman’s films have been nominated for and won awards at numerous festivals around the world, notably in Cannes, Venice and Berlin.

Selected Filmography

Domestic Violence (2001)
Ballet (1995)
Near Death (1989)
Seraphita’s Diary (1982)
Law and Order (1969)

Information

Director: Frederick Wiseman
Cinematography: John Davey
Sound: Frederick Wiseman, Hervé Guyader, Emmanuel Croset
Film Editing: Frederick Wiseman, Valérie Pico
Producers: Françoise Gazio, Pierre-Olivier Bardet, Frederick Wiseman
Production: Idéale Audience / Zipporah Films
France, USA, 2009, 159 min.