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The Dancer (2016 film)

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The Dancer
Theatrical release poster
FrenchLa Danseuse
Directed byStéphanie Di Giusto
Screenplay by
Based onLoïe Fuller: Danseuse de la Belle Époque
by Giovanni Lista
Produced by
  • Alain Attal
  • Emma Javaux
  • Marie Jardillier
Starring
CinematographyBenoît Debie
Edited byGéraldine Mangenot
Music byMax Richter
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • Wild Bunch (France)
  • Lumière (Belgium)
  • Film Distribution Artcam (Czech Republic)
Release dates
  • 13 May 2016 (2016-05-13) (Cannes)
  • 28 September 2016 (2016-09-28) (France and Belgium)
  • 19 January 2017 (2017-01-19) (Czech Republic)
Running time
108 minutes[1]
Countries
Languages
Budget$8 million[5][6]
Box office$2 million[7]

The Dancer (French: La Danseuse) is a 2016 biographical historical drama film about dancer Loie Fuller, directed by Stéphanie Di Giusto from a screenplay she co-wrote with Sarah Thiebaud and Thomas Bidegain, based on the novel Loïe Fuller: Danseuse de la Belle Époque by Giovanni Lista. The film stars Soko, Gaspard Ulliel, Mélanie Thierry, Lily-Rose Depp, François Damiens, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing and Denis Ménochet. The film is a co-production between France, Belgium and Czech Republic.

The film made its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.[8] It was released theatrically on 28 September 2016 in France by Wild Bunch and in Belgium by Lumière, and on 19 January 2017 in the Czech Republic by Film Distribution Artcam.[1]

Plot

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Cast

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Production

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In April 2015, it was reported that Wild Bunch had sold the international rights to Stéphanie Di Giusto's feature film directorial debut, The Dancer, about the legendary dancer Loie Fuller and her peer Isadora Duncan, starring Soko as Loie Fuller and Elle Fanning as Isadora Duncan.[9] In September 2015, it was announced that Fanning had been replaced by Lily-Rose Depp, and that the cast also included Gaspard Ulliel, Melanie Thierry, Francois Damiens and Louis-Do de Lencquesaing.[10] Nadia Tereszkiewicz had her first screen role as an extra in The Dancer.[11]

Di Giusto, Thomas Bidegain and Sarah Thiebaud wrote the script, with Alain Attal producing the film through Les Productions du Trésor, along with Wild Bunch, Belgium's Les Films du Fleuve, and Czech Republic's Sirena Film.[10] The score was composed by Max Richter.[12]

Jody Sperling served as creative consultant for the film, choreographer for Loie's dances and was also Soko's personal dance coach.[13] Soko trained 7 hours a day for two months and did not use a body double in the film. The dance scenes were performed by herself.[14]

Speaking of Loie Fuller's relationship with Louis d'Orsay portrayed in the film, Di Giusto said; "I ended up taking a few liberties with the truth, such as inventing the character of Louis d'Orsay, played by Gaspard Ulliel. I needed a masculine presence in the film, which is otherwise filled with women. Loïe Fuller was gay and it was important for me not to make that the subject of the film. Louis d'Orsay is a moving character: he is the film's sacrificed man."[5]

Filming

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Principal photography on the film began on 28 September 2015, and wrapped up on 10 December 2015.[10][15] Filming took place in France and the Czech Republic.[16][17]

Di Giusto wanted to have two shots of Soko crossing the Atlantic on a boat, but it was not possible due to the film's low budget, so in February 2016 she embarked on a ferry with Soko and the producers Marie Jardillier and Emma Javaux and shot the scenes without any permit, just with a camera and Soko.[18]

Reception

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On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 59% based on reviews from 29 critics.[19] On Metacritic it has a score of 44% based on reviews from 7 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[20]

AlloCiné, a French cinema website, gave the film an average rating of 3.4/5, based on a survey of 30 French reviews.[21]

Following the film's screening at the Cannes Film Festival, Jay Weissberg of Variety said the film was "unnecessary" and a "formulaic biopic".[2]

Zhuo-Ning Su of The Film Stage wrote; "The cast is solid all-around. In the lead role, Soko has both the willful masculinity and a feminine vulnerability down. Playing Louis, Ulliel is his usual charismatic self, exuding an effortless, pansexual allure that enriches a rather underwritten character infinitely. And though she only appears later in the film, Depp positively dazzles as Isadora. With her elfin litheness and an almost contemptuous self-assuredness, she owns the screen during every appearance. Ultimately, The Dancer doesn't venture from patterns of traditional biopics far enough to be called inspired, but it delivers a spirited, fully committed portrayal that allows you to observe a quintessential artist from the outside in."[22]

Katie Walsh of Los Angeles Times wrote that The Dancer is "a bold and assured film, wildly creative and sensual, that it feels far more sophisticated than a debut, and signals Di Giusto as one to watch."[23]

Accolades

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Year Award / Film Festival Category Recipients Result Ref
2016 Cannes Film Festival Un Certain Regard Stéphanie Di Giusto Nominated [8]
2017 César Awards Best Actress Soko Nominated [24]
Best Supporting Actress Mélanie Thierry Nominated [24]
Most Promising Actress Lily-Rose Depp Nominated [24]
Best First Feature Film Stéphanie Di Giusto, Alain Attal Nominated [24]
Best Costume Design Anaïs Romand Won [24]
Best Production Design Carlos Conti Nominated [24]
Lumières Awards Best Actress Soko Nominated [25]
Best Female Revelation Lily-Rose Depp Nominated [25]
Best First Film Stéphanie Di Giusto Nominated [25]
Best Cinematography Benoît Debie Nominated [25]

Notes

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  1. ^ Collaboration

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The Dancer de Stéphanie Di Giusto (2016)". Unifrance. Archived from the original on 5 December 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Cannes Film Review: 'The Dancer'". Variety. 13 May 2016. Archived from the original on 14 May 2016. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
  3. ^ a b "The Dancer – La danseuse by Stéphanie Di Giusto | Rendez-Vous with French Cinema 2017". Film at Lincoln Center. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  4. ^ Mazzanti, MIke (25 July 2016). "First Trailer For Cannes Drama 'The Dancer' Features Rivalry and Striking Imagery". The Film Stage. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b Pritchard, Tiffany (21 May 2016). "Cannes Q&A;: Stéphanie Di Giusto, 'The Dancer'". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  6. ^ "La Danseuse (2016)". JP Box-Office (in French). Archived from the original on 22 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  7. ^ "The Dancer (2016)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on 22 October 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  8. ^ a b Debruge, Peter; Keslassy, Elsa (14 April 2016). "Cannes 2016: Film Festival Unveils Official Selection Lineup". Variety. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  9. ^ Richford, Rhonda (24 April 2015). "Cannes: Wild Bunch to Launch Sales on 'The Dancer, 'The History of Love'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  10. ^ a b c Keslassy, Elsa (24 September 2015). "Lily-Rose Depp to Star as Isadora Duncan in 'The Dancer'". Variety. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  11. ^ Croll, Ben (16 January 2023). "'The Crime Is Mine' Star Nadia Tereszkiewicz Continues Breakout Year, Shares New Details About Robin Campillo, Stephanie Di Giusto Projects (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on 21 January 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  12. ^ Bozdech, Betsy (27 November 2017). "MOVIE OF THE WEEK November 27: THE DANCER". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  13. ^ Rizzuto, Rachel (31 January 2017). "Jody Sperling Brings the Magic of Loie Fuller to La Danseuse". DanceTeacher. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  14. ^ Lefévre, Sylvain (27 September 2016). "[Interview] Stéphanie Di Giusto et Soko, duo de choc pour " danseuse " de charme". Toute La Culture (in French). Archived from the original on 15 February 2020.
  15. ^ "On the Set 12/11/15: James Franco and Seth Rogen Start 'The Disaster Artist', Owen Wilson & Ed Helms Wrap 'Bastards'". SSN Insider. 11 December 2015. Archived from the original on 13 December 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  16. ^ Lemercier, Fabien (17 September 2015). "A glittering cast for The Dancer by Stéphanie Di Giusto". Cineuropa. Archived from the original on 17 August 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  17. ^ kristofy (12 June 2016). "Cabourg 2016 : La Danseuse, premier film ambitieux et miraculeux". Ecran Noir (in French). Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  18. ^ "The Dancer – Press Kit" (PDF). Cannes Film Festival. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  19. ^ "The Dancer (La danseuse) (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  20. ^ "The Dancer". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  21. ^ "Critiques presse pour le film La Danseuse". AlloCiné (in French). Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  22. ^ Su, Zhuo-Ning (13 May 2016). "[Cannes Review] The Dancer". The Film Stage. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  23. ^ Walsh, Katie (7 December 2017). "Review: 'The Dancer' portrays creativity and passion of Loïe Fuller". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  24. ^ a b c d e f "La Danseuse". Académie des César (in French). Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  25. ^ a b c d Cuyer, Clément (16 December 2016). "Prix Lumières 2017 : Elle, Une vie, La Danseuse... Découvrez les nominations !". AlloCiné (in French). Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
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