ballet

Feature Film Review: CLOSER THAN YESTERDAY. Directed by Lisa Le Lievre

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Two young San Francisco Ballet dancers compete on the world stage at the Helsinki International Ballet Competition.

http://closerthanyesterday.com/

Review by Victoria Angelique

CLOSER THAN YESTERDAY is a story of resilience and courage that follows Carmela as she trains for the Helsinki International Ballet Competition with her dance partner. This documentary takes an intimate look at what goes on behind the performance of a ballet performance and how it takes to rehearse in order to compete in a prestigious competition. 

The rollercoaster ride to Helsinki isn’t easy. First Carmela has surgery to fix an injury, then once she’s healed, her dancing partner has to be replaced the week of the competition because he gets Covid. Esteban’s replacement, Alexis, then has to travel six hours to get a travel visa at the last minute in order to travel to Finland. The tension could be felt through the screen, as the dreams of going to the competition felt like they could be dashed in a moment for all the dancers. 

The film is shot in a traditional documentary style, yet it still feels raw. This allows for the viewer to be immersed in the journey with the performers. We are rooting for them throughout the rehearsals and the competition. The pace slows down between the rehearsals and the competition to give the audience time to feel the butterflies that the dancers must have been feeling leading up to the performances. The depiction of ballet shows how grueling of an art form it is, yet beautiful at the same time with the graceful movements of Carmela and Alexis as they move on stage during the competition. The general theme is to keep on dancing and living one’s passion no matter what the outcome of a competition is, because Carmela’s positive attitude stays consistent throughout the entire film no matter what gets in her way so long as she can continue to dance. 

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Short Film Review: SAUDADE. Horror / Thriller / Surrealist / Drama.

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Synopsis: A dancer faces a ghost of her past and has to come out victorious to find her true self once again.

Directed by: Josie Hull

Written by: Gica Pucca and Constantin Augustinus Sieve

Produced by: Diana Cody

Executive Produced by: Gica Pucca and Constantin Augustinus Sieve

Review by Victoria Angelique

The short dance film, SAUDADE, captures the attention of the audience immediately with the gorgeous cinematography that begins within the first frame. Director of Photographer, Christian Olsen, is incredibly gifted as he captures the smoke dancing across the screen and wrapping it’s way around the Female Dancer’s body. The director, Josie Hull, has the Dancer move into her memory as the smoke envelopes her body. 

The tattoos on the Dancer’s body, whether intentional or real, works with the film as a way of symbolizing the ribbon that weaves her to the Male Dancer. She is fighting to escape him, but the happy memories bring her back to him. She is fighting to cut the tie so that she live happily once again now that the relationship has ended. 

The score is this film is magnificent. It truly brings the film to life through going from intense notes to melancholy ones to bring the audience into the memory of the Female Dancer’s past. The music and the movements couple together to show the toxicity of the relationship, depicting how an abusive partner can keep hold of a person’s memory as she fights with herself to move on and learn to be happy once again in life.  The Male Dancer has limited movements, showing his power over the Female Dancer early on in their relationship. He still haunts her mind as she struggles to reclaim her own happiness long after the relationship has ended. The Female Dancer shows her own power as she forces him from her memory.

Dance films are rarely able to capture such powerful themes in such a short timeframe. SAUDADE is successful as it captures the mental anguish that an abusive relationship can have on a victim as the Female Dancer tries to escape her memory before she figures out how to overcome it and move on with her life. It takes time, but the feeling of relief when she is able to put her memories in the past and remember what makes her happy is something that will last with viewers.