Of Heart and Courage: Béjart Ballet Lausanne (2009) User Reviews

The problem of how to succeed a master artist

[sara-martin-1 · 7/10 · 12 October 2013]

This is a very interesting documentary in the first place about ballet and in the second place about the problems facing the artist (Gil Roman) called to succeed an absolute master (Maurice Béjart). The documentary narrates Roman's efforts to take over from Béjart, his mentor, who named Roman his heir as head of the prestigious Maurice Béjart Company of Laussane. The documentary plays with the tension around whether Roman will succeed or not, focusing on the process of his developing he first choreography after Béjart's death. The tension is well sustained though the film would probably have benefited from using more time for the aftermath of the new ballet's first performance. Worth watching, particularly for ballet aficionados and those who love art in general.