Like victory.
Hetero dancers are such sluts.
Cover my tattoos so the devil doesn¡¯t shit her Spanx.
(piano playing lively melody)
CLAIRE: Felipe¡¯s so good.
LUC: He¡¯s the best.
If Ollie were here, he¡¯d be better.
No one is better than Felipe.
Ollie was always number one.
Who¡¯s Ollie?
Who are you?
I¡¯m Kate.
Hi.
I¡¯m the one from Virginia.
GIA: She¡¯s here to take your place.
Oh, Ollie.
Yes, he was the dancer who...
He jumped off a bridge, right?
What¡¯d you say?
M, stop...
-Uh... -What the fuck did you say?
-I... -He didn¡¯t jump.
Sorry. I read a post that he jumped off a bridge.
-(gasps) -(dancers murmuring)
-DANCER: Oh, my God. -DANCER 2: Stop!
(frantic chatter)
(piano playing)
(grunting, panting)
MARINE (grunting): Putain, putain.
(dancers gasping)
-(grunts) -(dancers gasp, murmur)
I¡¯m gonna kill you!
I¡¯m gonna fucking kill you!
(dancers gasping, murmuring)
FRANCIS: Absolute perfection, Felipe.
Thank you.
He was the last rat?
-(responds in French) -(murmurs in French)
So you decided to join us after all.
Your parents made quite the case for your return.
I¡¯m not doing it for them.
I¡¯m doing it for Ollie.
(piano playing somber melody)
? ?
I¡¯m Luc.
I¡¯m Claire.
I don¡¯t get it.
What did I do?
Ollie-- he was her brother.
He was her twin.
The other half of her soul.
Oh.
? ?
(music ends)
Just because you were number one once
does not mean you will be again.
I will be number one.
(Francis chuckles softly)
You are dismissed, rat.
(piano playing gentle classical music)
Two Americans?
One too many.
We won¡¯t have two for long.
VALENTINE: Your appearance today was unacceptable.
What about tomorrow?
What about it?
Are we friends?
Tomorrow is tomorrow.
(frantic rhythmic pounding)
(pounding continues in distance)
-(quiet chatter) -(gentle music playing)
-Hey. -Hey.
Why didn¡¯t you wake me?
Set an alarm.
What¡¯s that?
It¡¯s for luck. A charm.
LUC: Claire never dances without it.
BRUNELLE: The pas de deux...
...is chemistry made flesh.
The heart of ballet.
Dance is a ritual of seduction, no?
Up, everybody.
Felipe...
...today you will pair with...
...Claire.
But, madame, I¡¯ve been his partner for three months.
He wouldn¡¯t be able to lift you
with all the weight you gained over Christmas.
Marine, Luc.
And Virginia
with... Jean Paul.
(playing gentle classical music)
Try to relax.
I¡¯m fine.
I¡¯m a drug dealer.
If you need drugs, I¡¯ll deal them to you.
(Kate gasps, groans)
-Sorry. -BRUNELLE: Heavy, Virginia.
Light. Be light.
And down.
You look like a sack of potatoes.
Madame Brunelle is just testing you.
That¡¯s why we call her Le Diable.
She plays us off each other.
Anyone who partners with Felipe will be the better dancer.
He¡¯s the key to the prize.
She¡¯ll assign final partners based on chemistry.
In the meantime, she¡¯s torturing me, too.
Le diable obtient ce qui lui est d?.
What does that mean?
The Devil gets her due.
(rat squeaking)
BRUNELLE: You¡¯re currently ranking last.
I think it¡¯s better to send you home now.
KATE: No. I know I can do better.
BRUNELLE: Let me tell you something, Virginia.
Kate.
My name is Kate.
And I can¡¯t go back.
I¡¯ve given up everything to be here.
Now we¡¯re getting somewhere.
Let me tell you something, Kate.
This rat was caught in one of our traps in the basement.
I never use wire traps.
Do you know why?
Tonight I plan to take it home and feed it to my cat.
(chuckles)
A little?
S-Sorry. That was so dumb.
-I¡¯ll leave you alone. -No, no, I, uh...
I just don¡¯t let boys look at or touch my feet.
It¡¯s a dancer thing.
And I strongly prefer women in socks.
It¡¯s a drummer thing.
My name¡¯s Jamal.
M.
Just M?
Short for Marine, but I never liked that.
My brother used to call me Marionette.
Like the puppet.
(chuckles softly)
And so... should I call you Marionette?
Close your eyes.
JAMAL: Do they hurt?
MARINE: Let me tell you a little secret about ballerinas.
We are warriors of pain.
(chuckles) Oh, shit.
Why do you do it?
Because if I stop, then, um...
someone I love will be gone.
Your brother?
It was always supposed to be the two of us.
My mom put us in ballet class as soon as we could walk.
It¡¯s who I am.
You must think I¡¯m really fucked-up.
I think you¡¯re sad.
And funny.
And a very good dancer.
Are you with an embassy?
No, I...
I¡¯m with the band.
(chuckles): Well, that¡¯s good because, uh...
(sniffles) um...
then we won¡¯t see each other again,
and we can just pretend this...
never happened.
The problem is I want to see you again.
That¡¯s a bad idea.
I have poor judgment.
I don¡¯t have any time.
Then we better move fast.
(phone line ringing)
SCOTT (recorded): Scott Sanders.
-You know what to do. -(line beeps)
KATE: Hey, Dad.
Sorry I keep missing your calls.
Um, everything¡¯s good here.
Things are going really well.
Yeah.
-I love you. -(door opens)
Hey.
How was it?
I acted out, as my therapist would say.
Mm.
What¡¯s wrong?
I just keep thinking about this story
my dad used to tell me when I was a kid.
I was afraid of the dark. (chuckles softly)
Will you tell it to me?
That I should go.
Says who?
You make me happy.
It¡¯s dangerous.
You¡¯re right.
I am very dangerous.
(laughs): What are you doing? What are you...
(shushes) Ah, wait. Wait, wait, wait.
She was in so much pain.
But then another bird appeared.
She helped her fly again.
(classical music continues)
(whispers): That¡¯s going to be you one day.
? ?
(music fades)
(muffled chatter)
(dramatically): Giselle, my love!
-Don¡¯t go. -I must leave you.
My heart will ache for all of eternity!
(pounding on door)
GIA: Shut the fuck up!
-(snickers) -People are trying to sleep!
Sorry!
(Gia shouting in French)
Good night, Gia. Sleep well.
Sleep well, Gia.
GIA: Fuck off!
-I have an idea. -What?
-You have a phone? -I gave them a burner.
-Come here. -Ah, genius.
KATE: What? What are you doing?
Wait, is that Benjamin Benjamin?
Like, Benjamin, star of the ballet
-that we just saw, Benjamin? -Mm-hmm.
Holy fuck.
Oh, my God, he¡¯s typing.
MARINE: Come on.
Oh, we see you.
We know you¡¯re there.
-(phone buzzing) -(Kate groans)
-Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. -Be cool.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
BENJAMIN (over phone): Hi there. Do I know you?
You look familiar.
You need a hint?
You¡¯re the Durand daughter.
"The Durand daughter."
This is my friend Kate.
She dances at the academy with me.
Hi. Uh, Kate.
You were amazing.
I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m talking to you.
Benjamin, are you going to be the judge
-for the prize again this year? -Yes, I am.
Have two girls ever won before?
Nope. Tradition.
And traditions are meant to be broken.
You never know.
(both chuckle)
-Good night, girls. -Good night.
Bonne nuit.
-(chuckles) -(gasps)
I don¡¯t feel well.
to know that it¡¯s in Ollie¡¯s name.
You¡¯re extra-large, right?
She prefers her meat fresh.
You really want to hear it?
How do you have his phone number?
-(birds chirping) -(bell tolling in distance)
CELINE: He¡¯ll be here in a moment.
Have they assigned final partners?
KATE: Not yet.
We think they¡¯ll announce it in the next couple of weeks
once they¡¯ve narrowed it down to the top five.
Will Marine make the cut?
I hear she¡¯s right on the edge.
Let me see if I can find something that big.
That will be a hundred euros.
-Well, I¡¯m on scholarship. -Yes.
You have a scholarship to attend as a foreign student.
It does not include the expenses.
They didn¡¯t tell me that.
Look.
You can jump very high and move very strong.
This might make you a sensation in America...
...but this is Paris.
Romance traditionnelle.
(dancers murmuring)
They want ballerinas to be light and graceful.
They want girls to be girls and boys to be boys,
and if you don¡¯t fit into that mold...
...they¡¯ll simply find somebody who does.
Trust me, I know.
You¡¯re 18, yes?
Sign your consent here.
And your mobile phone please.
(sighs)
KATE: It¡¯s going well.
Everyone¡¯s super French.
SCOTT (chuckles): Yeah.
You making any friends?
Uh... yeah.
Yeah.
People are... nice.
SCOTT: Well, good. Good.
(small dog barking over phone)
Billy Elliot says bonjour.
(laughs)
Bonjour, Billy.
The house feels empty without you.
(chuckles) Well...
Hey, at least now you get to, you know, get some sleep.
Not paying for my classes and all that working so late.
Ah, I always sleep well.
Know why?
I go to bed with a clean conscience.
You got that?
Got it.
SCOTT: Where do stars come from?
KATE: Rebel¡¯s heart. Will of steel.
SCOTT: Eyes set on true north.
I love you, Little Bird.
I love you, too, Dad.
(people chattering in French outside)
(lock clicks)
(sighs)
What are you doing here?
MARINE: I¡¯m in my room.
No one said anything to me about a roommate.
Well, this has been my room since I was eight.
-Look. -Oh.
Well, what are we supposed to do?
There¡¯s only one bed.
I know we got off to kind of a rough start.
I honestly had no idea, and I¡¯m really sorry about your brother.
Okay? I really... didn¡¯t...
("Mirza" by Jalil Bennis et Les Golden Hands playing loudly)
You just press this button here,
and it releases a gas that gently...
puts the rat to death.
Painless.
Clean.
I¡¯m not a monster.
If we don¡¯t get rid of the rats,
then the school will be overrun and it will be worthless.
Greatness has a price.
Do you agree?
Yes.
Good.
Then do the honors.
? ?
You want me... to push the...
Please. Push the button.
Show me that you have what it takes to win the prize.
The devil pulled the rat trick on Kate.
Really?
CLAIRE: The button is so obviously fake.
I believed it.
She brought Ollie and I into her office when we were nine
and did the same thing.
Which one of you pushed the button?
Oh, neither of us.
Don¡¯t tell me you pushed it.
Of course not.
76 euro?
Such a rip off.
They know we have to buy new shoes each week. It¡¯s extortion.
I bet the devil gets kickbacks from this fucking store.
Ballet Mafia.
Aren¡¯t you getting any?
Uh, no. My shoes are fine.
CLAIRE: M... (speaks French)
? ?
(door opens)
(Marine giggling)
-(Felipe speaks indistinctly) -MARINE: Come over here.
? ?
(door opens)
(door closes)
(woman vomiting)
(woman coughing)
(water running)
(door opens)
-(water stops) -(door closes)
Are you okay?
It¡¯s not easy competing with a bunch of skinny white girls.
For me, every little mistake gets noticed.
I have to dance miracles just to be the exception.
I do what it takes.
Good luck with your shoes.
? ?
(door opens)
(muffled chatter)
(muffled chatter continues)
Oh.
-Oh. -Sorry.
Um, I was wondering, um,
if maybe...
you could dance with me sometime.
I know I¡¯m, like, really tall, but you¡¯re tall
and appear strong and-- I don¡¯t know.
Okay.
The animals were behaving badly.
So the gods decided to cover the entire Earth
with a blanket, blocking out the sun.
It was so dark.
So dark.
The animals were afraid.
But the gods did not answer their prayers.
? ?
But then...
this one brave little bird
flew up to the sky.
Faster and faster.
Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might burst.
But she just kept going.
(birds chirping)
Rebel¡¯s heart.
Will of steel.
Eyes set on true north.
Until finally...
...she pierced the blanket with her beak,
and a tiny ray of light shone through.
The little bird flew back up
again and again,
poking holes in the blanket,
defying the will of the gods.
But the gods were not mad.
The gods were so moved by her courage
they decided they were only going to cover the Earth
for half of the day.
And so, this blanket,
full of these tiny holes
became the night sky.
(sighs)
And that¡¯s how the stars were formed.
I don¡¯t want to win if...
if it means you lose.
(whispers): I¡¯ll help you.
And we¡¯ll both dance so well...
...they won¡¯t have a choice.
And they¡¯ll have to make an exception.
And we¡¯ll both get the prize.
(chuckles softly)
I like that.
Give me your earring.
-Is this real? -Mm-hmm.
-I can¡¯t take this. -I don¡¯t care. Come on.
? ?
(Kate chuckles)
Let¡¯s make a pact.
(Marine clears throat)
Repeat after me.
-This is our sacred oath. -This is our sacred oath.
To always be there for each other.
To help each other out every step of the way.
And to win the prize together...
or not at all.
And to win the prize together...
or not at all.
("Your Woman" by GYM playing)
I don¡¯t know.
You just stopped answering my calls.
And now I kind of feel like a stalker.
Maybe you are one.
So that¡¯s it?
I went by your house.
I didn¡¯t know how else to contact you.
I talked to your mom.
Do you know what she said?
She said your idea of love was sick,
that you were disturbed and that I should stay away.
She¡¯s right.
Good luck with your prize.
? ?
-KATE: Dad, guess what. -SCOTT: What?
KATE: I made the top five.
SCOTT: Of course you did.
Aw, that¡¯s wonderful, Katie.
BRUNELLE: Felipe, today you will pair with...
KATE: I mean, honestly, the way that things are going,
I think they¡¯re gonna make Felipe my partner
for the prize dance.
KATE: Bonjour.
I need new shoes.
I¡¯m done helping you.
There are only five of us left.
You¡¯re on your own now.
My shoes.
Shoes.
Your shoes. I know.
There¡¯s only one prize.
I was nice.
FRANCIS: F¨¦licitation.
You have made it to the top five.
The partner you are paired with today has been
carefully assigned by Madame Brunelle
to be your final partner for the prize dance.
Together you will choose an excerpt from Romeo and Juliet.
What¡¯s wrong?
This is such bullshit.
It¡¯s like they want me to lose.
We¡¯re gonna figure it out.
We¡¯re not gonna let anything or anyone come between us.
We¡¯re not gonna give up on the pact.
KATE: I know.
It¡¯s just... you wouldn¡¯t understand.
This is my one chance.
? ?
(snorts)
(sighs)
(sighs): Okay.
(quiet murmuring)
-(whispers) -(murmuring quiets)
BRUNELLE: The prize dance is on the horizon,
and nothing should distract you from that.
However, it¡¯s come to my attention
that there is a good opportunity for the right ballerina.
We are looking for an understudy for Sarah.
It is a more contemporary project.
It would be...
an honor to work...
? ?
(birds chirping, insects trilling)
? ?
(piano playing up-tempo classical music)
-(grunts) -BRUNELLE: Stop the music!
-(music stops) -(panting)
What was that?
Glissade assembl¨¦, sissonne...
You are a dancer...
-not a horse. -I¡¯m sorry.
I don¡¯t speak French.
I took Spanish
¡¯cause my dad said it would be more useful,
but honestly, French would be really useful...
-Why are you here? -Um...
I¡¯ve placed first in every competition
in the States for the past two years.
A-All my teachers recommended that I...
Mademoiselle Sanders, as a scholarship recipient,
I expect a real answer.
I¡¯ll ask you one more time.
Why have you come here?
("Attrape-r¨ºve" by Polo & Pan playing)
I¡¯m here to win the prize.
("Attrape-r¨ºve" continues with singing in French)
? ?
CELINE: Marine!
(music stops)
I told you, you¡¯re not allowed to touch anything in this room.
You said you wanted to win the prize for Ollie.
I do.
Then what are you still doing here?
(sighs)
("Chanson pour ma vieille" by Clara Luciani playing)
(song continues with singing in French)
VALENTINE: Training will be rigorous and begins before dawn.
The lowest-ranked rats may be sent home
at the discretion of Madame Brunelle.
Five girls and five boys
will be dancing in the final presentation.
And from this, only one girl and one boy
will be awarded the prize:
a contract to join the company of the Paris Opera Ballet.
(cheering)
CLAIRE: Who is she?
LUC: Apparently she only started dancing five years ago.
Before that she played basketball.
(snickering)
-Basketball? -Oui.
CLAIRE: She¡¯s too awkward to be a ballerina.
(dancers murmuring)
(song fades)
LUC: Oh, fuck.
What are you doing back?
Had nothing better to do.
What¡¯s new?
After you left last fall, Gia took number one.
with you two.
Good luck.
BRUNELLE: Don¡¯t be nervous.
Just show us what you can do.
(piano playing lively classical music)
(Valentine whispers)
(piano music continues)
(sobbing softly)
BRUNELLE: Virginia,
let¡¯s not waste any more of Sarah and Benjamin¡¯s time.
Shall we?
(stringed instruments playing lively classical music)
? ?
(music ends)
MARINE: I¡¯m happy they picked you.
KATE: You don¡¯t seem happy.
MARINE: I am.
You deserve it.
Thanks.
I mean, it¡¯s not the prize, but it¡¯s still pretty cool, I guess.
Where is your earring?
KATE: Oh, um...
I don¡¯t know.
-It must¡¯ve fallen out. -(zipper whizzes)
I¡¯ll give you another one.
Oh, no, no, no, don¡¯t worry about it.
Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a shiny rock.
I don¡¯t want another one.
We need to talk.
-About the pact. -Are you serious?
-You don¡¯t want to keep the pact -(stammering)
now that you¡¯re ranked higher than me,
but you were fine with it when you were at the bottom.
It¡¯s not about that.
I¡¯m just trying to be realistic.
(chuckles): Since when?
You think you can fuck your way to stardom
and that¡¯s gonna make you high-class.
(door opens, closes)
? ?
BENJAMIN: Kate Sanders, you¡¯re up.
? ?
We need to rehearse.
? ?
(quiet murmuring)
What did you expect?
KATE: It doesn¡¯t matter.
Benjamin¡¯s gonna be a judge at the final evaluation.
-He knows what I can do. -(chuckles softly)
It does matter.
This is so unfair to me.
-Did you think of this? -(sighs)
(birds chirping)
KATE: Luc¡¯s refusing to dance with me.
I can¡¯t be expected to rehearse for Benjamin¡¯s project
and the academy at the same time.
Well, that¡¯s exactly what you are expected to do.
The understudy role doesn¡¯t mean
that you¡¯re gonna get a contract...
or win the prize.
It doesn¡¯t mean anything.
You¡¯ve never liked me.
You have never given me a real chance.
Do you think I don¡¯t see you?
If I didn¡¯t like you, I¡¯d just let you fail.
? ?
-(lively chatter) -(upbeat pop music playing)
(lively chatter continues)
Oh, thank you.
-(tapping on glass) -You look great.
-(chatter quiets) -(lowers music volume)
SARAH: We are gathered here today
to celebrate the birth of this obscenely talented brat
that I¡¯m very proud to call my collaborator and friend.
Let¡¯s be honest, Benjamin.
This toast wouldn¡¯t be possible if not for all those rich people
you convince to empty their pockets
for the sake of our art form.
So, may you continue to pander to their demands.
-(others chuckling) -Long live Benjamin.
-Long live ballet. -Long live ballet.
Long live ballet.
-OTHERS: Long live ballet! -(chatter, laughter)
What did she mean by "pander to their demands"?
Hmm.
She¡¯s just poking fun at me,
because it was a donor who insisted that she would be cast
at the beginning of her career.
What do you mean?
Well, they gave a bunch of money to ballet
so they could strongly suggest their favorite to be cast.
And you agreed to this?
She was terrific.
KATE: But not the best?
She became the best with my guidance.
-But... -But what, ma ch¨¦rie?
It¡¯s never been an even playing field.
It¡¯s always been about sex, blood, money.
It¡¯s all that matters.
(thunder rumbling)
? ?
(phone line rings, clicks)
SCOTT (over phone): Katie?
Are you okay?
I need you to tell me the truth.
(thunder rumbling)
Why did you sell the house?
They said...
the Durand family had a change of heart, whatever that means.
The bastards revoked your scholarship.
? ?
(thunder rumbling)
? ?
What¡¯s wrong?
You¡¯re scaring me.
(thunder rumbling)
I know what you did.
You used me.
Made me think we were actually friends.
And then you had your parents intervene
to cancel my scholarship.
(voice breaking): Why would you do that to me?
I-I s-- I swear, I didn¡¯t...
I didn¡¯t.
I didn¡¯t know.
You¡¯re such a liar!
(grunting)
I swear on my life, I would never purposely hurt you.
We¡¯re best friends.
We¡¯re sisters.
You would have a threesome with your sister?
Oh, that¡¯s right. You probably would.
-(door slams) -(thunder rumbling)
(birds chirping)
(piano playing classical music in distance)
MARINE: Kate!
Can we talk?
Please.
(indistinct chatter)
(chatter quiets)
(chuckles): What¡¯s going on?
LUC: Is it true?
Is what true?
You and Ollie.
Everyone is saying that
your mother caught you guys fucking,
and that¡¯s why he killed himself.
(chuckles): No, it¡¯s not... it¡¯s not true.
That¡¯s not true.
-You know that¡¯s not true. -Don¡¯t fucking touch me.
You disgust me.
? ?
(whispers): Hi.
? ?
(sniffles)
(sniffling)
(sighs)
(panting slowly)
? ?
(gasps)
I was just a few years older than you.
I was dancing Swan Lake.
Main stage.
One day, I noticed that I was gaining weight.
(scoffs) It didn¡¯t make any sense.
-What¡¯d you do? -Nothing.
I kept dancing.
Harder than I had before.
Whatever life was inside me bled out a few weeks later.
You cannot change the past.
You cannot.
All you can do is learn to accept your grief,
your shame,
your regret.
It¡¯s a heavy rock we carry around.
And one that we can never put down.
But...
...I have learned...
...to love my rock.
Instead of...
of weighing me down...
...it¡¯s made me stronger.
Blessed is she who falls.
Blessed is she who rises again.
? ?
(birds and insects chirping)
? ?
So you¡¯re dancing a solo.
Yes.
Madame Brunelle says, because you decided to dance alone,
she¡¯s reassigning Felipe to me.
Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?
? ?
(lively chatter)
FRANCIS: Welcome, friends,
family.
Thank you for being here to witness
these ten extraordinary young dancers...
(voice fades)
? ?
...a contract with the Paris Opera Ballet.
-(cheering, applause) -Thank you.
("Whispers in the Hall" by Chromatics playing)
? Little girl, the world just wants to break you ?
? They¡¯ve come to dull that look inside your eye ?
? Don¡¯t you know it only makes you stronger? ?
? You don¡¯t have to try to run and hide ?
? Little boy, the world just wants to trick you ?
? Can¡¯t you see that look inside their eyes? ?
? Don¡¯t you know that pain can make you stronger? ?
? You don¡¯t have to buy into their lies ?
? Go ?
-? Go ? -(cheering, applause)
? Go ?
? Little girl, the nights are getting longer ?
-(crowd gasping, murmuring) -? Can¡¯t you hear ?
? The whispers in the hall? ?
(crowd exclaiming, cheering)
? They know that you¡¯re only getting stronger ?
? You don¡¯t have to answer when they call. ?
(cheering continues)
? ?
(song fades)
(dramatic orchestral music playing)
(gasps softly)
? ?
-(hard thud) -(crowd gasps)
? ?
(crowd gasps)
? ?
(crowd murmuring)
? ?
(music swells)
(music ends)
(person clapping)
(others clapping)
(applause)
? ?
(lively chatter)
? ?
That took courage.
I didn¡¯t know you could choreograph like that.
Not after.
(laughs)
One.
Two.
Three.
(chuckles softly)
? ?
Um, maybe you could help me with some stuff.
? Just tell me what you¡¯ve got to say to me ?
I¡¯m not gonna look.
I won¡¯t look, I promise.
I just want to...
You can look.
These feet belong to a dancer, not a marionette.
There¡¯s more to you than just ballet.
I¡¯ve seen it.
You¡¯re an artist, not a puppet.
Shoulders down.
(rain continues falling)
(softly): Look at you. That¡¯s good.
Come closer.
KATE: I¡¯m finally up to number two.
And Madame Brunelle, the one who doesn¡¯t like me,
well, she finally paired me with the best dancer in the school.
She saw we have chemistry
and, well, we¡¯re basically unstoppable.
SCOTT: You do your best. You do the right thing.
That¡¯s all I care about.
Katie, I¡¯ve got to tell you something.
What?
I moved into an apartment closer to town.
What about the house?
I sold it.
You sold our house?
-Without telling me? -(sighs)
I didn¡¯t want to upset you.
We both got a lot to worry about, Kate.
The house, the dog-- it¡¯s a lot for me, okay?
Well, I guess I better win, right?
It¡¯s not like there¡¯s any home to come back to.
(rain continues falling)
(door opens)
-KATE: Hey. -Hey.
Do you have something you want to tell me?
Mm, what do you mean?
Why do you have Claire¡¯s ribbon?
I saw it on the ground, and I...
...I just...
picked it up.
I was going to give it back to her.
She just got so upset; I didn¡¯t want her to think I stole it.
You should have said something to me.
I know.
I¡¯m sorry.
(Kate sighs)
I didn¡¯t mean for her to get hurt.
(Kate sighs)
It¡¯s the worst thing I¡¯ve ever done.
Are you gonna turn me in?
I¡¯m sorry I went through your bag.
It¡¯s fine.
I thought you were taking pills.
Like partnering and stuff.
Okay. Come in.
Like right now?
Okay, lay down.
Do you want my help?
Keep your hips even.
Floating.
To be a star you have to be soft.
Your form is very strict.
Very controlled.
Okay, so get up and ¨¤ la seconde.
Arabesque and face the door.
Ballet is precision and perfection.
But so what? Nobody pays to see perfection.
They pay to see romance.
Desire, dominance.
Bodies touching bodies.
? ?
What makes a perfect prima ballerina
is total submission.
Allow yourself to be possessed.
(Kate gasping softly)
Okay, fall back.
(Kate sighs)
No thinking. Breathe.
(whispers): You¡¯re beautiful.
(panting)
(moans)
(guitar tuning)
Is something wrong?
Don¡¯t tell M.
("1, 2, 3" by Donna Blue playing quietly)
Where are you going?
MARINE: Embassy party.
That¡¯s cool.
MARINE: I¡¯d skip it, but I have to go.
I¡¯m the ambassador¡¯s daughter.
KATE: Which ambassador?
The American ambassador.
Your dad is the American ambassador to France?
My mom is the American ambassador.
How come you never told me this?
It never came up.
What does your dad do?
Businessman.
We should talk about gender expectations.
What type of businessman?
Mostly milks.
(Kate laughs)
Why is that funny?
Milks?
Macadamia, soy, coconut, almond, cashews.
(Kate laughs)
Squeezable nuts.
Your mom is the American ambassador
and your dad is a nut milk tycoon.
So?
(sighs) My dad pours concrete in Wakefield.
MARINE: What about your mom?
KATE: It¡¯s just me and my dad.
It¡¯s nothing.
That one¡¯s nice.
Will you help me with the buttons?
Sure.
What does this mean?
"Never mind."
-(bag unzips) -? I¡¯ve been waiting ?
? For so long to hear the truth ?
? It comes as no surprise at all, you see... ?
Thank you.
You¡¯re a bigfoot, Virginia.
(Kate chuckles)
What were you and Gia talking about?
Oh, nothing.
She¡¯s still pissed at me because Felipe dumped her.
KATE: Mm-hmm.
She needs to get over it.
CLAIRE: M, telephone. Some guy named Jamal.
-KATE: The drummer? -MARINE: Mm-hmm.
CLAIRE: I see the way you look at her.
You should be careful.
She¡¯ll make you think that you¡¯re her new twin.
But when it comes to competition,
you get the knife in the back.
? The right kind of girl for you ?
? I could never be your woman ?
Still so boyish.
? When I saw my best friend yesterday ?
? She said she never liked you from the start ?
? Well, me, I wish that I could claim the same ?
? But you always knew you held my heart... ?
What is this?
Modifying the choreography. Who does she think she is?
-(song stops) -Stop.
(classical piano music stops)
I¡¯m sorry.
I wanted to show you my own ideas.
I can see that.
Had you not, you would have been ranked number one today.
So please.
(door opens)
What happened?
Just until your rank goes up.
I meant what I said.
Both of us or none at all.
Claire, ¨¤ toi.
What¡¯s wrong?
My ribbon-- I can¡¯t find it.
Her ribbon.
Don¡¯t panic. We¡¯ll help find it.
Are you sure you checked in your bag?
Of course I looked there!
Well, check again.
Claire, we won¡¯t wait any longer.
Look at me.
You are a great dancer, with or without your ribbon.
Go.
(spits) I know it was you.
What did she say?
Nothing.
(classical piano music begins)
Why have you not come to see me, Marionette?
-Don¡¯t call me that. -Why not?
She¡¯s the favorite.
You¡¯re back?
Nice to see you, too.
You broke out of the mental hospital?
You flatter me.
Felipe... you¡¯re up, baby.
How do my leftovers taste?
(song continues with singing in French)
Okay.
You know why.
You seem on edge lately.
And I know what that¡¯s like.
(orchestra playing gentle classical music)
I had a dream about the story you told me.
About the little bird.
She fell from the sky.
Her body was broken.
Of course she will.
When Marine danced with Ollie, they were always number one.
Ollie would¡¯ve been the next Nureyev.
-He was that good. -He wasn¡¯t the next Nureyev.
How would you know?
You¡¯re not even on track to be the next member
of the corps de ballet.
KATE: I wanted to say thank you for the scholarship.
I know it¡¯s supposed to be anonymous,
so I wasn¡¯t going to say anything.
Um...
but M told me.
It means everything.
I just wanted to say it means even more to me
I know how close he and M were.
(softly): Yes.
But now she has you.
(piano playing gentle classical music)
(piano music continues)
? ?
This is our sacred oath.
To always be there for each other.
To help each other every step of the way.
To win the prize together or not at all.
? ?
(door opens)
(piano music ends)
She hates me.
No.
I don¡¯t blame her.
(voice breaking): It was my fault.
-It wasn¡¯t your fault. -You don¡¯t know that.
Ollie and I-- we were like...
the same person.
(sniffles)
My mom...
(sighs)
(sniffles)
What?
Hey.
(Marine sniffles)
You can tell me anything.
Anything.
I promise.
We were home on summer holiday.
Ollie and I.
We were just rehearsing in the living room.
? ?
(coughing loudly)
(music stops)
Are you really gonna smoke in here?
(exhales heavily)
Yes.
(chuckles) Okay.
Isn¡¯t that against the rules?
Yes.
Do you always follow the rules?
No.
Prove it.
? ?
(dance music and lively chatter in distance)
20 euro.
BOUNCER: Twenty.
? ?
Uh, no, thank you.
No one enters without the worm.
(sighs)
(insects chirring)
? ?
(distorted chatter)
? ?
(distorted chittering)
(distorted laughter)
? ?
(birds chirping)
(wings fluttering)
MARINE: Want to play a game?
LUC (distorted): Is she okay?
CLAIRE: Are you sure this is a good idea?
MARINE: She¡¯s a big girl.
What kind of game?
Whoever stops dancing first drops out.
-Of school? -Yes.
Of school.
Oh.
You in or not?
I¡¯m in.
(quietly): Good.
(drum beating slowly)
(percussion instruments joining in, music continues faster)
(rhythmic grunting and vocalizing to rapid music)
(grunts)
(music continues faster and louder)
(music builds to cacophony)
-(dance music playing quietly) -(people chattering)
(both panting)
My heart is on fire.
I think I might die.
You give up?
Never.
You?
Fuck no.
(panting continues)
So what do we do?
We keep dancing.
-Fine. -Fine.
We could both stop at the exact same moment.
Nice try.
What?
You¡¯ll just tell me to stop and then you¡¯d let me stop.
I would never do that.
Why should I trust you?
I¡¯m gonna count to three.
And we¡¯re gonna both stop
exactly... at three.
Not before.
No, it-it means...
"never mind."
Oh.
?a ne fait rien.
I like it.
You never answered my question about your mom.
She was a dancer, actually.
Yeah.
She died when I was little.
MARINE: She¡¯s beautiful.
KATE: Yeah.
My dad refuses to talk about her.
I think it hurts too much.
But when I quit basketball and started dancing...
...I could tell it meant a lot.
It¡¯s stupid, but, um...
...when I dance...
it feels like...
I can feel her.
You know? Like she¡¯s with me.
(sniffles)
"How are your classes?"
Oh, they¡¯re-they¡¯re good.
"Any new friends?"
Well, my roommate-- she¡¯s American.
-She¡¯s fun. -E-Enough.
Katherine Sanders.
You know her?
She¡¯s the recipient of the scholarship we established
in your brother¡¯s honor.
How come you-you didn¡¯t tell me?
I hear she may be sent home soon.
Can¡¯t you just talk to the school?
Isn¡¯t she supposed to be your competition?
If we¡¯d known they were gonna give the money
to a female dancer, we would never have sent the check.
She¡¯s my friend.
Boundaries, Marine.
-(upbeat jazz music playing) -(lively chatter)
Marine, can I see you please?
Your daughter is quite... fascinating.
(chuckles) Spirited.
You¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯m sure.
What is this?
Oh, this, uh...
this charade you invited me to perform
where we pretend to be a happy family.
You listen to me very carefully.
Tonight is not an obligation which is subject to your moods.
WOMAN: Look at you, Marine.
Ambassador Durand, your daughter has grown.
(chuckles) Just about.
Oh, Marine is quite the dancer now.
She¡¯s on track to join the Paris Opera Ballet.
-If all goes well. -Wow.
Well, we¡¯d love to see you dance sometime.
I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be happy to.
N¡¯est-ce pas, Marine?
Sure.
? ?
(people gasping softly)
(jazz music stops)
(people murmuring)
(drumroll)
(people murmuring)
For your bloody feet.
I¡¯d offer to wash them for you,
but I think that might sound a little creepy.
-(Claire screams, gasps) -(people murmuring)
? ?
MARINE: Dead rats.
It¡¯s a fight for survival now.
(engine starts)
(birds chirping)
JEAN PAUL: Hello, American girl.
I knew you would come to see me.
Pink¡¯s for up and blue¡¯s for down.
I don¡¯t need drugs to dance.
Well, you are the exception.
Everyone else does.
You can ask your friend M.
She hasn¡¯t come to see me since she¡¯s back.
That¡¯s why her rank is not as good as before.
Hey, there¡¯s no testing in ballet.
No one will ask you to pee in a cup.
("Deadly Valentine" by Charlotte Gainsbourg playing)
(laughs)
? With this ring, I thee wed ?
? With all my worldly goods I thee endow ?
? To love and to cherish ?
? According to God¡¯s holy ordinance ?
? With this ring, I thee wed ?
? With all my worldly goods I thee endow ?
? To love and to cherish ?
? According to God¡¯s holy ordinance ?
? You have declared your consent ?
? May the Lord fill you both with blessings ?
? From this day forward until death do us part ?
? From this day forward ?
? For better, for worse, until death do us part ?
? From this day forward until death do us part ?
? ?
Good, Ms. Sanders.
Go for it.
Good. That¡¯s almost it.
There you go, lighter. Good.
? May the Lord fill you both with blessings ?
(snorts)
-(snorts) -? From this day forward ?
? For better, for worse, until death do us part ?
(Marine laughs)
VALENTINE: Marine, wake up.
Where¡¯s your head?
? From this day forward until death do us part ?
? From this day forward, for better, for worse ?
? Until death do us part ?
? From this day forward until death do us part ?
(song fades)
JAMAL: What are you thinking?
(rain falling outside)
We¡¯d moved all the furniture to the side
like we used to do when we were little.
And she, um...
She walked in.
We didn¡¯t know she was home.
And she screamed.
So loud.
And she pulled us apart...
and she slapped me.
(sniffling, sobbing softly)
And then she told my dad what she saw--
what she thought she saw.
He didn¡¯t believe her.
(breath quivers)
She wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone.
We were just dancing, but... (sniffles)
...my mom couldn¡¯t look at either of us after that.
Ollie...
...he...
...he-- we¡¯d...
we had taken pills to dance.
But after that, he just...
he started taking everything.
Whatever he could find.
And the night it happened...
...he called me.
(sniffles)
And I d... I d... I didn¡¯t answer.
I didn¡¯t answer.
OLLIE (over phone, recorded): What happened to our promise?
Never mind, right?
Okay. Never mind.
?a ne fait rien.
(sniffling, sobbing)
What happened to our promise?
Never mind, right?
Okay. Never mind.
?a ne fait rien.
("N¡¯attends pas mon sourire" by Ariane Moffatt playing)
(song continues with singing in French)
KATE: I have something to tell you, too.
MARINE (whispers): I already know.
You do?
MARINE: Felipe told me.
(whispers): Thought it would make me jealous.
Were you?
MARINE: At first.
And then I realized
it wasn¡¯t because you were with Felipe, but...
...because Felipe was with you.
? ?
KATE: He thinks he has all the power.
That we¡¯re all in love with him.
? ?
KATE: I just want to know what it feels like.
MARINE: What?
KATE: To be you.
? ?
(song ends)
(birds chirping)
Hi.
What are you doing here?
I would love to dance for you one day.
It would be an honor.
(applause)
(crowd cheering)
(applause fades)
Thank you for your patience, everybody.
You have made me...
very proud, petits rats.
If I call your name, I will have to ask you to leave the stage...
...and to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Natasha.
? ?
Peter.
Isabelle.
Jean Paul.
Roman.
Luc.
Felipe,
we award the prize for best male dancer to you.
(cheering, applause)
Congratulations.
Thank you.
? ?
BRUNELLE: And now to our talented ballerinas,
a subject of much debate.
Gia.
You haven¡¯t won the prize today.
But we would like to offer you
an apprenticeship with the Paris Opera Ballet.
(applause)
Merci.
Bravo.
? ?
The time has come for which ballerina
will win the prize.
The winner of the contract for the Paris Opera Ballet is...
MARINE: Wait.
I don¡¯t want it.
(crowd murmuring)
What are you doing?
What about Ollie¡¯s prize?
If you leave now, you are on your own.
You have no idea how to fend for yourself in the real world.
You will be cut off.
Do you understand?
I do.
Marine!
BRUNELLE: Mademoiselle Sanders,
the prize belongs to you.
(muted applause)
? ?
Congratulations, Virginia.
I know you would have picked her.
I saw you with her father.
I know he paid you to pick her.
The family revoked your scholarship.
I was trying to reverse that.
I picked the best dancer.
KATE: So who was it?
Me or M?
Please.
I need to know.
? ?
(dramatic orchestral music playing)
(applause building)
(audience cheering)
? ?
(panting)
(music fades)
Kate!
Hi.
I saw the show.
You were really good.
Thanks.
(sighs)
How are you?
Actually really good.
(chuckles): Great, even.
It took me a long time to be able to say that, but, um...
...it¡¯s true.
You still dancing?
Mostly at the Jungle.
That place still exists?
You should come by sometime if you ever feel like it.
I just finished choreographing this new piece.
I came by to say thank you.
For what?
You really forced me to face myself.
And I feel free now.
I hope you find that, too.
Hey!
Hi.
-What the fuck was that? -What do you mean?
What kind of fucked-up game are you trying to play?
-I¡¯m not... -Bullshit!
You should be mad at me!
You should fucking hate me!
Why don¡¯t you hate me?
(whispers): I¡¯m sorry.
(Kate sniffles)
(sobs): Sorry.
(sniffles)
You have no idea
how much I wish I could take back
everything that happened, everything I did.
I¡¯m sorry.
MARINE: Virginia.
Blessed is she who falls.
Blessed is she who rises again.
? ?
MARINE: The animals were behaving badly.
So the gods put a blanket over the Earth to block out the sun.
Until one little bird flew higher
than any bird had ever flown before,
so high she poked a hole in the blanket.
(audience gasping)
(hard thud)
(audience murmuring)
(Kate panting slowly)
(panting continues faster)
(sighs)
(panting)
(heart beating faintly)
(heart beating faster, louder)
-(panting continues) -(heart beating faster)
(heart beating rapidly)
(ethereal music playing, chorus vocalizing)
KATE: The fall nearly broke her.
But she embraced the pain she could no longer escape...
...and opened her heart once more to the sky.
? ?
("Movies" by Weyes Blood playing)
? This is how it feels to be in love ?
? This is life from above ?
? There¡¯s no books anymore ?
? I¡¯m bound to that summer ?
? Big box office hit ?
? Making love ?
? To a counterfeit ?
? Why... ?
? Did so many ?
? Get a rise out of me? ?
? I love ?
? The movies... ?
? Some people feel what some people don¡¯t ?
? Some people watch until they explode ?
? The meaning of life doesn¡¯t seem to shine ?
? Like that screen ?
? Put me in a movie ?
? And everyone will know me ?
? You¡¯ll be the star ?
? You know you are ?
? The movies I watched ?
? When I was a kid ?
? The hopes and the dreams ?
? Won¡¯t give credit ?
? To the real things ?
? I love ?
? The movies... ?
? I know the meaning ?
? I know the story ?
? I know the glory ?
? I love movies... ?
? ?
? I ?
? Wanna be ?
? In my own movie ?
? I wanna be ?
? I wanna be the star ?
? Of my ?
? Of my own ?
? My own ?
? I wanna be ?
? The star ?
? I wanna be ?
? I wanna be the star ?
? Of my ?
? Of my own ?
? My own ?
? My own. ?