A Ballerina's Tale

A Ballerina's Tale

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Nelson George
Produced by
  • Leslie Norville
  • Nelson George
Starring Misty Copeland
Narrated by Misty Copeland
Music by
Cinematography
  • Cliff Charles
  • Oskar Landi
  • Nelson George
  • Malika Weeden
  • Nicolas Waterman
  • Jon Dunham
Edited by Malika Weeden
Production
company
Urban Romances, Inc.
Distributed by Sundance Selects
Release dates
  • April 19, 2015 (2015-04-19) (Tribeca Film Festival)
  • October 14, 2015 (2015-10-14) (United States)
Running time
 85 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Box office $96,900

A Ballerina's Tale is a 2015 documentary film revolving around the career of Misty Copeland, who serves as the narrator of the film as well as its subject. The film premiered on April 19, 2015 at the Tribeca Film Festival.[1] It was released through video on demand on October 13, 2015, prior to opening in a limited release on October 14, 2015, by Sundance Selects.[2] A version of it, which is available on the PBS website, was also aired by PBS stations beginning in February 2016. The film received mostly positive reviews.

Plot

The film follows the daily life of Copeland with emphasis on her role as one of the first African-American female soloists to present what Mekado Murphy of The New York Times describes as the process of the dancer.[3][4] The film begins with archival footage of a young Copeland at a small ballet studio and focuses on her cultural impact and professional ascension, despite injuries and other challenges, without delving into her personal history.[5]

Development

On September 20, 2013, Nelson George announced a $40,000 Kickstarter campaign to fund production of a documentary film about the life of Misty Copeland. The campaign raised $54,251 USD with 657 backers.[6] Prince contributed a "substantial sum" to the campaign.[7] The film is one of several forms of media publicity surrounding Copeland who has become a trailblazing ballerina with the American Ballet Theater.[8]

Release

The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 19, 2015, accompanied by a ballet performance.[9] Copeland, who narrates the film, spoke following its premiere.[10] Sundance Selects acquired the US distribution rights to the film.[11] The film was released through video on demand on October 13, 2015, and the following day began a limited release in US cinemas.[12] A 55-minute version of it[13] aired beginning on February 8, 2016 as part of PBS' Independent Lens series.[14][15]

Critical response

A Ballerina's Tale has received mostly positive reviews, It holds a 73% Fresh rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 11 reviews with an average rating of 7.8/10.[16] It holds a 57 metascore on metacritic based on 4 reviews.[17]

Maya Chung for NBCnews.com wrote: "A Ballerina's Tale is one film that is making that impact. The documentary gives an in-depth picture of Copeland's struggles with being black in a predominantly white Ballet world and it chronicles her experience recovering from a leg fracture - one that could've stopped her dream of becoming a principal dancer." [18] Amy Brady from The Village Voice commented: "In A Ballerina's Tale, director Nelson George paints a moving portrait of Copeland that underscores her triumphs over bodily and historical limitations. ... The film is structured around mid-career highlights – Copeland's solo performance in The Firebird at the Metropolitan Opera House, her career-defining role as Odette/Odile in Swan Lake – but it reminds us that her rise to stardom was marked by self-doubt and a need for mentorship."[19]

The film is not considered "eye-opening" according to Louise Blouin Media's Regina Mogilevskaya, but the presentation of Copeland as a performer is what makes the film memorable.[5]

Notes

  1. ↑ Zeitchik, Steven (2015-04-14). "Tribeca 2015: With George Lucas and Monty Python, a fest broadens". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-04-28.
  2. ↑ "Exclusive Trailer Debut: The Misty Copeland Documentary A Ballerina’s Tale". Vanity Fair. 2015-09-04. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
  3. ↑ Murphy, Mekado (2015-03-05). "Patricia Arquette and Mary J. Blige Starring in Films Added to Tribeca Festival Lineup". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  4. ↑ Zumberge, Marianne (2015-04-15). "Live Performances Heat Up Tribeca Film Festival Screenings". Variety. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  5. 1 2 Mogilevskaya, Regina (2015-04-20). "Tribeca Film Festival Review: Nelson George's "A Ballerina's Tale"". Blouin Art Info International. Retrieved 2015-04-28.
  6. ↑ "A Ballerina's Tale". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  7. ↑ Callahan, Yesha. "Watch Prince Perform 'The Beautiful Ones' With Misty Copeland", The Root, April 25, 2016
  8. ↑ Sulcas, Roslyn (2014-02-21). "A Singular Ballerina’s Multiple Paths: Misty Copeland Prepares for Release of Her Memoir". The New York Times. Retrieved 2015-04-17.
  9. ↑ Zeitchik, Steven (2015-04-14). "Tribeca 2015: With George Lucas and Monty Python, a fest broadens". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2015-04-28.
  10. ↑ Prisco, Jaime (2015-03-16). "Misty Copeland 'A Ballerina's Tale,' Directed by Nelson George, to Debut at 2015 Tribeca Film Festival, with Mary J. Blige Documentary 'The London Sessions'". Classicalite.com. Retrieved 2015-04-28.
  11. ↑ McNary, Dave (2015-07-21). "Misty Copeland’s ‘A Ballerina’s Tale’ Bought by Sundance Selects". Variety. Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  12. ↑ "Exclusive Trailer Debut: The Misty Copeland Documentary A Ballerina’s Tale". Vanity Fair. 2015-09-04. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
  13. ↑ "Independent Lens: A Ballerina's Tale". PBS. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
  14. ↑ Ziv, Stav (February 3, 2016). "A Ballerina’s Tale: Misty Copeland Documentary to Air on PBS". Newsweek. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  15. ↑ Ziv, Stav (February 8, 2016). "Review 'A Ballerina's Tale' follows Misty Copeland's incredible rise in the ballet world". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  16. ↑ "A Ballerina's Tale". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  17. ↑ "A Ballerina's Tale". metacritic. Retrieved 2015-11-11.
  18. ↑ Maya Chung (2015-09-30). "New Film A Ballerina's Tale Shows Misty Copeland's Journey as a Black Ballerina". NBC News. Retrieved 2015-10-03.
  19. ↑ "Nelson George’s A Ballerina’s Tale Is a Testament to Misty Copeland’s Strength and Talent". Village Voice. Retrieved 2015-10-14.

External links

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