Thursday, April 28, 2011
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
Today's film was the dance documentary
Two young adults from a dance school in Rio De Janeiro go to overseas contests for a dance career. Both are poor with loving parents. It is a hard world, dance. Hundreds of kids. Competitions. Over and over.
But it is a way out of the favela, the ghetto. And a way into a lifetime career outside of Rio.
We also see the head of the dance school who is a tireless advocate for these kids.
And the parents. The father/son love is striking. Here is a kid that wants to dance with a tough looking dad who, while surprised at first, is all there for his kid and, we learn, has dance in his own soul. Very sweet.
I normally do not like this kind of thing but I was told that it was a special film and it is.
I won't tip off anything but it is fairly obvious that one will make it and the other not but, as it turns out, the one who doesn't make it has a happy ending too. Just not as happy.
There is no melodrama here. Just earnest young dancers and lots of dance footage. Beautifully done.
Somehow the makers of the film take us through the elaborate rules and procedures and give us a smooth landing into the important part which is the performances.
I liked this very much. I gasped a few times as I do with exciting dance experiences and had tears and happiness from the results.
In the end there is a poster from one of the events with one of our stars featured. What a thrill to see it. Insert a "gasp".
I would not mind seeing this again. I will give it a 4 out of Netflix5.
Labels: films
