A Ballerina's Tale
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Leslie Norville
- Nelson George
- Cliff Charles
- Oskar Landi
- Nelson George
- Malika Weeden
- Nicolas Waterman
- Jon Dunham
| A Ballerina's Tale | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Nelson George |
| Produced by |
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| Narrated by | Misty Copeland |
| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | Malika Weeden |
| Music by |
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Production companies | Urban Romances, Inc. |
| Distributed by | Sundance Selects |
Release dates |
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Running time | 85 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $125,144 (USA) |
A Ballerina's Tale is a 2015 documentary film revolving around the career of Misty Copeland, who serves as the narrator of the film as well as its subject. The film premiered on April 19, 2015, at the Tribeca Film Festival.[1] It was released through video on demand on October 13, 2015, prior to opening in a limited release on October 14, 2015, by Sundance Selects.[2] A version of it, which is available on the PBS website, was also aired by PBS stations beginning in February 2016. The film received mostly positive reviews.
The film follows the daily life of Copeland with emphasis on her role as one of the first African-American female soloists to present what Mekado Murphy of The New York Times describes as the process of the dancer.[3][4] The film begins with archival footage of a young Copeland at a small ballet studio and focuses on her cultural impact and professional ascension, despite injuries and other challenges, without delving into her personal history.[5]
Development
On September 20, 2013, Nelson George announced a $40,000 Kickstarter campaign to fund production of a documentary film about the life of Misty Copeland. The campaign raised US$54,251 with 657 backers.[6] Prince contributed a "substantial sum" to the campaign.[7] The film is one of several forms of media publicity surrounding Copeland who has become a trailblazing ballerina with the American Ballet Theatre.[8]
Release
The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 19, 2015, accompanied by a ballet performance.[9] Copeland, who narrates the film, spoke following its premiere.[10] Sundance Selects acquired the US distribution rights to the film.[11] The film was released through video on demand on October 13, 2015, and the following day began a limited release in US cinemas.[2] A 55-minute version of it[12] aired beginning on February 8, 2016, as part of PBS' Independent Lens series.[13][14]