Polina

POLINA is Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj’s thrilling examination of the long road to artistic fulfillment. Co-directed by famed French dancer and choreographer Angelin Preljocaj, the film premiered at the 2016 Venice Film Festival and will have its U.S. West Coast Premiere at the City of Lights, City of Angels (COL•COA) Film Festival this month in Los Angeles.

Rigorously trained from an early age by a perfectionist instructor, Polina (Anastasia Shevtsova) is a promising classical ballet dancer. She is just about to join the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet when she discovers contemporary dance, a revelation that throws everything into question on a profound level. Diverting from her plan, she leaves all her exacting preparation behind and moves to France to work with famous choreographer Liria Elsaj (played by Academy Award®-winner Juliette Binoche, who has danced with London-based dancer/choreographer Akram Khan). Once there, Polina is quickly forced to grapple with the realization that determination and hard work don't always lead to success.

The film marks the feature debut of Anastasia Shevtsova, a professional dancer who has performed with Saint Petersburg’s Mariinsky Theatre, and other members of the cast include Niels Schneider (Xavier Dolan’s HEARTBEATS and I KILLED MY MOTHER) and Jeremie Belingard (a star dancer with the Ballet de l’Opera de Paris, SAINT LAURENT).

"The creative process is always an elusive thing for filmmakers to capture, but amid all the startling visuals and the splendid acting, Polina rises, gloriously, to the challenge." (John Anderson, Wall Street Journal)

"A film that takes dance as seriously as its protagonists and indeed, POLINA contains several beautifully poetic moments that involve choreographed bodies against gorgeous backdrops." (Boyd van Hoeij, Hollywood Reporter)