Young dance student Rose Souris (Jeanine Charrat) idolizes the company's prima ballerina, Mlle. Beaupré (the beautiful Yvette Chauviré), even asking her to become her "godmother" (a sort of mentor). She immediately resents La Karine (Mia Slavenska), an outsider whose arrival threatens Mlle. Beaupré's place as the first lady of the ballet. After witnessing a perceived slight against Mlle. Beaupré, Rose Souris decides to sabotage the big debut of her idol's rival. The actions of young Rose Souris result in a career-ending injury to Karine, but ensure Mlle. Beaupré's star billing.
The tragic irony is that Karine is as passionate about dance as young Rose Souris, while Mlle. Beaupré's devotion soon wanes and she leaves the ballet to get married. Because of Rose Souris, Karine can never dance again, a fate worse than death. And Mlle. Beaupré, whose career was saved by Rose Souris, quits the ballet and forgets about her little protégé.
Devastated by her injury, Karine is inspired by an incidental meeting with young Rose Souris to take a position as a dance instructor. She sees a bit of herself in Rose Souris and decides to mold her into the great dancer she herself could never be. She takes Rose Souris under her wing and gives her the choice parts in the ballet academy's productions. Karine is the "godmother" Rose Souris needed all along.
Things take a turn when the truth comes out and Karine realizes that her favorite pupil was responsible for the "accident" that cut short her career. Rose Souris is racked with guilt as she preps for her dance examination, but when it's her time on the stage, with a chance to advance to the next level, Karine is standing in the wings encouraging her and giving her silent tips.
In the film, Rose Souris does a wicked thing to benefit her idol, not realizing that her enemy would turn out to be her greatest mentor and friend. She's backed the wrong horse, as it were, and robbed a great talent of her bright future. Rose Souris is weighed down by her guilt every time she sees Karine limp across the room. She fears that her relationship with Karine is ruined when the truth comes out, but Karine is able to overcome her anger and forgive Rose Souris, supporting her dream of becoming a great dancer.
The movie's got a nice message of forgiveness and a nice twist regarding the girl's true "godmother" and whose dancing career was really worth saving.
The dancing is great (although I'm no expert) and the principals are all professional ballerinas. Yvette Chauviré is particularly photogenic and it's a shame she and Mia Slavenska didn't appear in more movies. The American release ("Ballerina") is subtitled in English, although it seems like some lines don't get translated. There are some jumpy cuts that may be the result of trimming the film for international release. (IMDb gives a running time of 100 minutes for the French release, 85 minutes for the American version.) The story is told from the young girls' perspective. Rose Souris and her dancer friends really capture that innocence of youth. The characters are engaging and the juvenile performers do a great job.
The tragic irony is that Karine is as passionate about dance as young Rose Souris, while Mlle. Beaupré's devotion soon wanes and she leaves the ballet to get married. Because of Rose Souris, Karine can never dance again, a fate worse than death. And Mlle. Beaupré, whose career was saved by Rose Souris, quits the ballet and forgets about her little protégé.
Devastated by her injury, Karine is inspired by an incidental meeting with young Rose Souris to take a position as a dance instructor. She sees a bit of herself in Rose Souris and decides to mold her into the great dancer she herself could never be. She takes Rose Souris under her wing and gives her the choice parts in the ballet academy's productions. Karine is the "godmother" Rose Souris needed all along.
Things take a turn when the truth comes out and Karine realizes that her favorite pupil was responsible for the "accident" that cut short her career. Rose Souris is racked with guilt as she preps for her dance examination, but when it's her time on the stage, with a chance to advance to the next level, Karine is standing in the wings encouraging her and giving her silent tips.
In the film, Rose Souris does a wicked thing to benefit her idol, not realizing that her enemy would turn out to be her greatest mentor and friend. She's backed the wrong horse, as it were, and robbed a great talent of her bright future. Rose Souris is weighed down by her guilt every time she sees Karine limp across the room. She fears that her relationship with Karine is ruined when the truth comes out, but Karine is able to overcome her anger and forgive Rose Souris, supporting her dream of becoming a great dancer.
The movie's got a nice message of forgiveness and a nice twist regarding the girl's true "godmother" and whose dancing career was really worth saving.
The dancing is great (although I'm no expert) and the principals are all professional ballerinas. Yvette Chauviré is particularly photogenic and it's a shame she and Mia Slavenska didn't appear in more movies. The American release ("Ballerina") is subtitled in English, although it seems like some lines don't get translated. There are some jumpy cuts that may be the result of trimming the film for international release. (IMDb gives a running time of 100 minutes for the French release, 85 minutes for the American version.) The story is told from the young girls' perspective. Rose Souris and her dancer friends really capture that innocence of youth. The characters are engaging and the juvenile performers do a great job.