Front Row

Miriam Guttmann

European premiere

Far from home, yet still united by their passion: the young dancers of the United Ukrainian Ballet Company continue their work in exile. While their homeland is ravaged by war, they find solace and strength in dance. Their discipline and perseverance are put to the test when a new dancer joins them: Oleksandr “Teren” Budko, a Ukrainian soldier who lost both lower legs in battle and is learning to move again with prosthetic limbs.

Director Miriam Guttmann follows the dancers in their daily struggle to keep going, as news from Ukraine constantly reaches them. How do you keep dancing when your future is uncertain? How do you cope with guilt and loss? Front Row offers a gripping and intimate portrait of young people who hold on to what is most precious to them: their art.

The documentary highlights the transformative power of dance, not only as an artistic expression but also as a way to process trauma and maintain hope. Created in collaboration with the Netherlands, the United States, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, with executive producer Sarah Jessica Parker, Front Row is an inspiring story of resilience, community, and the true meaning of freedom.

Talks

Q&A with the director Miriam Guttmann and Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You

Wed 26 March
17:45
Filmhuis Den Haag
More info

Credits

Director
Miriam Guttmann
Year
2024
Country of production
Netherlands, The, United States, Ukraine, United Kingdom
Type
Documentary
Duration
75 minutes
Spoken language
English, Ukrainian
Subtitles
EN
Production company
Scenery
Dutch distributor
Cinema Delicatessen