Nureyev

108 Minutes • NR

Showings

Lark Theater Sun, May 5, 2019 1:00 PM
Lark Theater Thu, May 9, 2019 6:30 PM
Lark Theater Sun, May 12, 2019 1:00 PM
Lark Theater Wed, May 22, 2019 6:30 PM
Lark Theater Sun, Jun 2, 2019 3:15 PM
Lark Theater Tue, Jun 25, 2019 6:30 PM
Lark Theater Sun, Jul 14, 2019 1:00 PM
Lark Theater Tue, Jul 23, 2019 6:30 PM
Film Info
Event Type:Special Event
No Passes
Release Year:2018
Rating:NR
Genre:Documentary, Dance

Description

This striking and moving documentary from BAFTA nominated directors Jacqui and David Morris traces the extraordinary life of Rudolf Nureyev. From his birth in the 5th class carriage of a trans-Siberian train, to his dramatic leap to freedom in the West at the height of the Cold War, and unprecedented adulation as the most famous dancer in the world. The film highlights Nureyev's unlikely yet legendary partnership with Margot Fonteyn and charts his meteoric rise to the status of global cultural phenomenon. Nureyev's life plays out like the sweeping plot of a classic Russian novel. His story is Russia's story. Blending never-before-seen footage, with an original score by award-winning composer Alex Baranowski and spellbinding newly choreographed dance tableaux directed by Royal Ballet alumnus, Russell Maliphant, Nureyev is a theatrical and cinematic experience like no other. This is a portrayal as unique as the man himself. There will never be another Nureyev.


A quarter of a century after Nureyev’s death, his story has never been more relevant: his defection to the West is symbolic as Russia and the West struggle once more to reconcile conflicting values; as we obsess over celebrity, Nureyev’s status as a global icon in an age before social media is doubly significant; as the Russian government’s attitude towards homosexuality is seen as medieval in its archaism, Nureyev’s unapologetic openness about his sexuality over half a century ago can be seen for the act of trailblazing bravery it truly was; and finally, having left a legacy in the dance world stemming from Mikhail Baryshnikov to the current era of Marcelo Gomes, Carlos Acosta and Sergei Polunin, it is telling that Nureyev is still widely considered the finest male ballet dancer ever to grace the stage.