True Prince: Vladimir Malakhov (1997)

• 65%
• 1997
• Documentary
• Tony Papa

A dazzling performance profile of a ballet superstar... A one hour performance/profile on ballet superstar Vladimir Malakhov, Principal Dancer in several prominent ballet companies. Named "best male dancer in the world" three years in succession by the prestigious Japanese "Dance" magazine, hailed as the "New Nureyev" by European critics, and nicknamed the "Phenom" in New York, Malakhov transfixes audiences with his combination of technical brilliance and lyrical eloquence. Jennifer Dunning, of the New York Times says that "In person, Mr. Malakhov is an eager, almost frighteningly disciplined young dancer with an endearing exuberance and sense of comedy..." This dazzling program captures the magnetic presence of this consummate dancer in the rarified atmosphere that surrounds an artist devoted to his art. "True Prince" chronicles the textures of a dancer's daily life - the rehearsals, the backstage rituals, the fans, and the strenuous performance demands of an international star. Through it all, Malakhov remains a modern man with an old fashioned virtue - complete dedication to his art. Combining rehearsals with performance, and mixing modern and classic film techniques creates a chic, hip, and engaging mix of the whimsical and the sublime. Shot in Vienna, Toronto, and Vancouver Canada, True Prince includes segments from Manon, Giselle, and a complete solo performance of the modern ballet Voyage, which was choreographed for Malakhov, based on his experience of being a rootless jet-setter. True Prince is an intimate portrait of a young man already fulfilling his destiny: Vladimir Malakhov - a quintessential ballet prince for our times...