Etoiles: Dancers Of The Paris Opera (2001): Starring Brigitte LeFevre, Jiri Kylian, Claude Bessy, Maurice Bejart, Aurelie Dupont, Laurent Hilaire, Manuel Legris, Nicolas LeRiche, Jose Martinez, Elisabeth Platel, Marie Agnes Gillot, Clairemarie Osta, Celine Talon, Nathalie Rique, Miteki Kudo...Director Nils Tavernier This document was a smash hit in Europe and was a triumph in foreign document, art-house theaters. It follows the process of casting, training, rehearsals and production of ballet performances in the Paris Opera ballet, which has a long history of terrific ballets and an excellent school, dating as far back as the 18th-19th centuries. The top dancer right now is Aurelie Dupont, and we do get to see her shine on the stage as the etoile, the highest rank, but we also see what life is like for the lower-rank dancers. They respond the interviewers' questions with honesty, casualness and still have the glow of youth and happiness on their faces. Dancing is a living passion, but is also as demanding and rigorous as any sports profession like football. This is evident as we see how much these dancers train, sweat and compete against one another to make it to the top. Although we don't see any dark sides to this competitive art world, we do see how it can isolate the youth from a social life, even alienating them from one another. The ballet is a beautiful world, and an art form that combines music, art and dance, but these dancers pay a price to make it big. There is no morals or investigative reporting here. Simply a candid look into the world of ballet. From Brigitte LeFevre, the Director, we learn much about how the dancers take difficult exams (sort of like Ballet American Idols) and are judged fit or unfit to move on to a position in the company. The lowest ranks are the quadrilles and other members of the corps de ballet, the second highest is premiere danseurs and the highest are the etoiles, the French word for "stars". This is how it's always been since the time Charles Garnier's Paris Opera house was established. The documentary is well-made. The Paris Opera's wings and rehearsal rooms are full of activity such as I would never have expected to see. These are true athletes, ready for anything but doing what they love only for a short time in their young lives.
