Chosen Ones

Chosen Ones is a documentary film about The Finnish National Ballet preparing to perform "The Rite of Spring" at the Bolshoi in Moscow. The dancers are getting ready to travel to Russia for the dance company's first-ever guest performance at the renowned theatre. The expectations are high, especially on Maki Nagasawa, Mira Ollila and Auri Ahola who rehearse for the solo piece. They are dancers in different stages of their careers, but they all share a passion for conveying something meaningful through their dance. American choreographer Millicent Hodson, who has reconstructed "The Rite of Spring" together with art historian Kenneth Archer, joins the team in Finland to direct the international ensemble. The choreography is complex and the schedule is tight. Igor Stravinsky's dissonant music proves challenging for the classically trained dancers. The whole group is under great pressure, preparing to meet the demanding Russian audience. With 125 jumps, dancing the solo piece is compared to running a marathon. But for the main characters, the journey to Moscow is about more than just the physical efforts. It is about overcoming fear, realising dreams and being in constant dialogue with your own body. "Chosen Ones" follows the dancers' visit to the Bolshoi, as they reflect on their own relationship to ballet – an art form where the strive for perfection is an essential yet unreachable part of the everyday. (oficjalny tekst dystrybutora)