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First Position (15)

First Position (15)

Documentary

A documentary that follows six young dancers from around the world as they prepare for the Youth America Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world.


The critical consensus

A touching look at ballet's battle-hardened youngsters.

***(*)(*)Patrick Peters, Empire Online, 08/04/2013

Even while it follows the now over-familiar structure favoured by every multiple-character, competition-based, triumph-over-adversity documentary since Spellbound, the stories that emerge from director Bess Kargman’s film are hard to resist.

****(*)Alistair Harkness, The Scotsman, 11/04/2013

It shouldn't matter whether they succeed or not, but Kargman's careful editing and pacing make it impossible not to care.

***(*)(*)Anthony Quinn, The Independent, 11/04/2013

The young people themselves are likable – but the film sticks to a cliched template, derived from a thousand TV reality shows.

*(*)(*)(*)(*)Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 11/04/2013

Settles for heartwarming "follow your dreams" platitudes rather than following the cold realities of being a dancer.

**(*)(*)(*)David Jenkins, Little White Lies, 11/04/2013

A superior example of the genre.

Philip French, The Observer, 14/04/2013

Where and when?

Cameo, Edinburgh from Friday April 12, 2013, until Wednesday April 17, 2013. More info: http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/

Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee from Friday April 26, 2013, until Sunday April 28, 2013. More info: www.dca.org.uk

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