I am eternally grateful to Ralph Fiennes for making this incredible film honoring Rudolf Nureyev's passion for dance and the sacrifice he made for his art not knowing what would become of his mother and family and leaving behind all that was familiar to him. Fiennes did a superb job giving us an insight to Nureyev's life so as to allow us to understand him better. Oleg Ivenko really captured Nureyev's voracious appetite for all life has to offer without ever making a caricature of him. He is an amazing dancer and actor. His nuances of facial expressions and body language captured so much of how Nureyev was that at times I had to do double take. I was fortunate enough to see Nureyev dance many times with all the major ballet companies of the world and with the greatest prima ballerinas in the 70's. I cannot begin to express the joy and inspiration he brought into my life. On one occasion I was having tea with the director of an an art gallery in Manhattan when Nureyev swept into the room and asked "Do you have any classical nudes of boys?'. I acknowedged him with a loving glance and tilting my head but could not get a word out as I was transfixed watching him as he slowly made his way around each painting asking questions. What a moment! It was difficult to take a breath. Just completely magical to be with someone you have hero worship for. I'll never forget it. What a gift!
I really like this movie because it gets to the heart of why Nureyev was such a complicated person and powerful personality who sadly left us far too young. Oleg Ivenko is just amazing for a first time actor but boy- what a dancer !. I hope we see more of him in films and love to see him live in ballet. Sensational. And he is very good and convincing as Nureyev .
I found myself smiling throughout at everything said by all the participants. What a benign and enlightening conversation. Very many thanks. I cant wait to see the film.
What a pleasure to watch these poeple devoted in such an intelligent way to art. And what a good interviewer, I think. This gave me a very broad smile.
Excellent. I have been looking forward to this film since I started my latest exhibition about the art of dance, when I read many of Nureyev's documentaries and biographies, especially Ms K's. I cannot wait to watch it... many times, actually.
So grateful to Ralph and David Hare to have courage to tell the truth, go through financial hardships, counter (as David Hare says) "capitalist propaganda" and make a real humane tribute to the artist' fire within, so to speak. It is my story, too. I am not a dancer, I am a jazz musician, but I went through similar circumstances when I had to leave Soviet Union (I thought, forever). I had to make a similar choice and I paid dearly for that. Many thanks to Ralph and David for their "Russian" souls and deep understanding of the passion to be an artist.
lenabloch : While I understand the need to challenge cliches and stereotypes. I am sick of Western elitists using terms like ‘capitalist propaganda.’ It is a very spoiled and entitled thing to say, and diminishes the very real horrors of the USSR throughout its existence, not just during Stalin’s time. Nureyev was treated like a prisoner by the Soviet state. Period. So please stop bashing the West and instead say “Thank you” to the country which took you in. Say thank you to America for allowing the talents of some of Russia’s greatest artists to shine from Makarova to Baryshnikov and providing sanctuary to the great composers like Rachmaninov and Stravinsky- who may have faced death had they stayed home. Thank the many men and women who died for countries like America, UK, France including civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. to protect the ideals of freedom, individuality, art, and democracy for so many from every different race.
"Capitalist propaganda" about Nureyev in the West is David Hare's phrase, actually. I apologize for being one ungrateful Russian artist whose talent the "West allowed to shine"... I indeed would like to thank many men and women who died in America, whose death America is fully responsible for, as American capitalist society allowed these talents not to "shine" but to languish, die of illness, drug addiction, become penniless, homeless, even having been buried in a no-name grave, like Dizzy Gillespie. Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus, Bud Powell - I can name you thousands more non-white jazz musicians, who perished because of American State giving no damn for arts and jazz as an art form in particular and moreover for any artist who is not white or rich. Yet my dream has always been to finally be playing and performing in America, not because of the State or the regime, but because of the beautiful and powerful musical community. You seem to be fully confusing the country and its people with the STATE. Sad. Neither Nuriev nor other socialist camp artists who moved to the US to work, were not expecting The State to "allow their talents to shine". The very phrase and the very concept of the artist at the mercy and benevolence of the State is so Soviet, actually. No, American State is not responsible for real great artists' talents' unfolding. If anything, the talents shine here IN SPITE and in defiance of the State. I came here not for "Western freedoms" that the Western GOVERNMENT was about to bestow on me, but simply because it is the country of birth of my art form, despite its artists dying of state-neglect and lack of care and deeply seated racism. Yes, I am saying "Thank you" to this director and this screenwriter for speaking about art and the artist' sacrifice, instead of politicizing Nureyev's story into a propaganda of a capitalist STATE vs "bad communism". I wonder, what would happen to a black boy from Alabama, if he'd decide that he must become a ballet dancer. Dance academy? Dance company? He would end up jailed for life, if not lynched at the early age. Lynching, BTW, is still LEGAL in the United States because of Congress' opposition to any bills that try to make it a federal crime.
"Thank the many men and women who died for countries like America, UK, France including civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. to protect the ideals of freedom, individuality, art, and democracy for so many from every different race." You mean Vietnam, North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Iran, Venezuela, Guatemala, Haiti. You mean the "democracy" that actually murdered MLK and hundreds of other civil rights heroes, put Angela Davis to jail. I don't know where you are from, but it is the height of hypocrisy of not cynicism, to use MLK's name to whitewash the State that murdered him for the very same views you claim this state "protects". Today, the Yellow Vests in France and Corbyn's followers in Britain may tell you a lot about "freedoms" the State is promising them. Instead of forcing artists like Nureyev, to show "gratitude" to the State for letting them in, how about demanding gratitude from the Western states to THESE ARTISTS, who enrich the Western culture by their art? whose "thank you" is actually appropriate? Should not the governments bow down to artists in gratitude, rather than the other way around?
This Oleg dude is very cool , love his voice..,,, did an awesome job as Nureyev...........Ralph Fiennes , another fabulous actor, extremely talented......his depiction of Nureyev in White Crow was very well done......
I’m sorry but…. Has there been a mistake? Where is Sergei Polunin in the discussion? Quite confusing really given He Is THE MALE oh H just BALLET DANCER of OUR Age!!
I am eternally grateful to Ralph Fiennes for making this incredible film honoring Rudolf Nureyev's passion for dance and the sacrifice he made for his art not knowing what would become of his mother and family and leaving behind all that was familiar to him. Fiennes did a superb job giving us an insight to Nureyev's life so as to allow us to understand him better.
Oleg Ivenko really captured Nureyev's voracious appetite for all life has to offer without ever making a caricature of him. He is an amazing dancer and actor. His nuances of facial expressions and body language captured so much of how Nureyev was that at times I had to do double take.
I was fortunate enough to see Nureyev dance many times with all the major ballet companies of the world and with the greatest prima ballerinas in the 70's. I cannot begin to express the joy and inspiration he brought into my life. On one occasion I was having tea with the director of an an art gallery in Manhattan when Nureyev swept into the room and asked "Do you have any classical nudes of boys?'. I acknowedged him with a loving glance and tilting my head but could not get a word out as I was transfixed watching him as he slowly made his way around each painting asking questions. What a moment! It was difficult to take a breath. Just completely magical to be with someone you have hero worship for. I'll never forget it. What a gift!
I really like this movie because it gets to the heart of why Nureyev was such a complicated person and powerful personality who sadly left us far too young. Oleg Ivenko is just amazing for a first time actor but boy- what a dancer !. I hope we see more of him in films and love to see him live in ballet. Sensational. And he is very good and convincing as Nureyev .
I found myself smiling throughout at everything said by all the participants. What a benign and enlightening conversation. Very many thanks. I cant wait to see the film.
I was about to say the same! You just stole my words.
What a pleasure to watch these poeple devoted in such an intelligent way to art. And what a good interviewer, I think. This gave me a very broad smile.
what an enjoyable Q and A session to watch, everybody got along so well too, I am looking forward to see this movie.
I loved the film having only recently discovered it. What a well made film.
Excellent. I have been looking forward to this film since I started my latest exhibition about the art of dance, when I read many of Nureyev's documentaries and biographies, especially Ms K's. I cannot wait to watch it... many times, actually.
wonderful film. Saw it last night.
So grateful to Ralph and David Hare to have courage to tell the truth, go through financial hardships, counter (as David Hare says) "capitalist propaganda" and make a real humane tribute to the artist' fire within, so to speak. It is my story, too. I am not a dancer, I am a jazz musician, but I went through similar circumstances when I had to leave Soviet Union (I thought, forever). I had to make a similar choice and I paid dearly for that. Many thanks to Ralph and David for their "Russian" souls and deep understanding of the passion to be an artist.
lenabloch : While I understand the need to challenge cliches and stereotypes. I am sick of Western elitists using terms like ‘capitalist propaganda.’ It is a very spoiled and entitled thing to say, and diminishes the very real horrors of the USSR throughout its existence, not just during Stalin’s time.
Nureyev was treated like a prisoner by the Soviet state. Period. So please stop bashing the West and instead say “Thank you” to the country which took you in. Say thank you to America for allowing the talents of some of Russia’s greatest artists to shine from Makarova to Baryshnikov and providing sanctuary to the great composers like Rachmaninov and Stravinsky- who may have faced death had they stayed home.
Thank the many men and women who died for countries like America, UK, France including civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. to protect the ideals of freedom, individuality, art, and democracy for so many from every different race.
"Capitalist propaganda" about Nureyev in the West is David Hare's phrase, actually. I apologize for being one ungrateful Russian artist whose talent the "West allowed to shine"... I indeed would like to thank many men and women who died in America, whose death America is fully responsible for, as American capitalist society allowed these talents not to "shine" but to languish, die of illness, drug addiction, become penniless, homeless, even having been buried in a no-name grave, like Dizzy Gillespie. Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus, Bud Powell - I can name you thousands more non-white jazz musicians, who perished because of American State giving no damn for arts and jazz as an art form in particular and moreover for any artist who is not white or rich. Yet my dream has always been to finally be playing and performing in America, not because of the State or the regime, but because of the beautiful and powerful musical community. You seem to be fully confusing the country and its people with the STATE. Sad. Neither Nuriev nor other socialist camp artists who moved to the US to work, were not expecting The State to "allow their talents to shine". The very phrase and the very concept of the artist at the mercy and benevolence of the State is so Soviet, actually. No, American State is not responsible for real great artists' talents' unfolding. If anything, the talents shine here IN SPITE and in defiance of the State. I came here not for "Western freedoms" that the Western GOVERNMENT was about to bestow on me, but simply because it is the country of birth of my art form, despite its artists dying of state-neglect and lack of care and deeply seated racism. Yes, I am saying "Thank you" to this director and this screenwriter for speaking about art and the artist' sacrifice, instead of politicizing Nureyev's story into a propaganda of a capitalist STATE vs "bad communism". I wonder, what would happen to a black boy from Alabama, if he'd decide that he must become a ballet dancer. Dance academy? Dance company? He would end up jailed for life, if not lynched at the early age. Lynching, BTW, is still LEGAL in the United States because of Congress' opposition to any bills that try to make it a federal crime.
"Thank the many men and women who died for countries like America, UK, France including civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. to protect the ideals of freedom, individuality, art, and democracy for so many from every different race." You mean Vietnam, North Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Iran, Venezuela, Guatemala, Haiti. You mean the "democracy" that actually murdered MLK and hundreds of other civil rights heroes, put Angela Davis to jail. I don't know where you are from, but it is the height of hypocrisy of not cynicism, to use MLK's name to whitewash the State that murdered him for the very same views you claim this state "protects". Today, the Yellow Vests in France and Corbyn's followers in Britain may tell you a lot about "freedoms" the State is promising them. Instead of forcing artists like Nureyev, to show "gratitude" to the State for letting them in, how about demanding gratitude from the Western states to THESE ARTISTS, who enrich the Western culture by their art? whose "thank you" is actually appropriate? Should not the governments bow down to artists in gratitude, rather than the other way around?
This Oleg dude is very cool , love his voice..,,, did an awesome job as Nureyev...........Ralph Fiennes , another fabulous actor, extremely talented......his depiction of Nureyev in White Crow was very well done......
This is a really good movie. Very thoughtful story and provoking - amazing! ˚ ˚✰˚ ˛★* ˚ ˚ ♥ ˚ ˚✰˚ ˛★* ˚
I’m sorry but…. Has there been a mistake? Where is Sergei Polunin in the discussion? Quite confusing really given He Is THE MALE oh H just BALLET DANCER of OUR Age!!