The latest dance film by Christopher Alexander of Zen Film Works is a ballet adventure through time that takes place on the streets of Paris. In eight minutes, the short film takes you on the journey of Louise (Louise Schirmer), a retired ballerina.
When a mysterious letter and a watch, mementos from her past, arrive, she becomes a young ballerina again, played by Brittany Cavaco who is currently performing with the English National Ballet. With only the hours leading up to midnight to rejoin her with her lost love, Jean Pierre (Sebastien Thill), they dance through the streets of Paris in a sad, nostalgic romance.
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Some of the iconic locations that appear in the film include the Louvre, the Pont de Bir-Hakiem, and of course, the Eiffel Tower. In an interview with Pointe, Cavaco revealed that all the movements in the film were improvised by herself and Alexander as the film was produced. It’s probably this organic creation that lends so much to the emotional value of the piece, the romance of dancing through Paris at night with a lost love. But as romantic as it looks, apparently dancing in such a dreamy location also has its downfalls. While she loved dancing around Paris, Cavaco also shared, “Pointe shoes never mix well with cobblestone. It can make for a lot of tripping.”
You can watch the full film below. You’ll fall in love with Louise and Jean Pierre as much as you do Paris, but you might want to grab a tissue for the ending.