Birds of Paradise (2021) Movie Script
Stop the music!
What was that?
Glissade assembl, sissonne...
You are a dancer...
-not a horse.
-Im sorry.
I dont 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...
Ive 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.
Ill ask you one more time.
Why have you come here?
Im here to win the prize.
Marine!
Marine!
I told you, youre 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?
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.
Who is she?
Apparently she only started
dancing five years ago.
Before that she played basketball.
-Basketball?
-Oui.
Shes too awkward to be a ballerina.
Oh, fuck.
What are you doing back?
Had nothing better to do.
Whats new?
After you left last fall,
Gia took number one.
Shes the favorite.
Youre back?
Nice to see you, too.
You broke out of the mental hospital?
You flatter me.
Felipe... youre up, baby.
How do my leftovers taste?
Like victory.
Hetero dancers are such sluts.
Cover my tattoos so the devil
doesnt shit her Spanx.
Felipes so good.
Hes the best.
If Ollie were here, hed be better.
No one is better than Felipe.
Ollie was always number one.
Whos Ollie?
Who are you?
Im Kate.
Hi.
Im the one from Virginia.
Shes here to take your place.
Oh, Ollie.
Yes, he was the dancer who...
He jumped off a bridge, right?
Whatd you say?
M, stop...
-Uh...
-What the fuck did you say?
-I...
-He didnt jump.
Sorry. I read a post that
he jumped off a bridge.
-Oh, my God.
-Stop!
Putain, putain.
Im gonna kill you!
Im gonna fucking kill you!
Absolute perfection, Felipe.
Thank you.
He was the last rat?
So you decided to join us after all.
Your parents made quite the case
for your return.
Im not doing it for them.
Im doing it for Ollie.
Im Luc.
Im Claire.
I dont get it.
What did I do?
Ollie... he was her brother.
He was her twin.
The other half of her soul.
Oh.
Just because you were number one once
does not mean you will be again.
I will be number one.
You are dismissed, rat.
Two Americans?
One too many.
We wont have two for long.
Your appearance today was unacceptable.
Youre extra-large, right?
Let me see if I can find
something that big.
That will be a hundred euros.
-Well, Im on scholarship.
-Yes.
You have a scholarship
to attend as a foreign student.
It does not include the expenses.
They didnt 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.
They want ballerinas
to be light and graceful.
They want girls to be girls
and boys to be boys,
and if you dont fit into that mold...
...theyll simply
find somebody who does.
Trust me, I know.
Youre 18, yes?
Sign your consent here.
And your mobile phone please.
Its going well.
Everyones super French.
Yeah.
You making any friends?
Uh... yeah.
Yeah.
People are... nice.
Well, good. Good.
Billy Elliot says bonjour.
Bonjour, Billy.
The house feels empty without you.
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.
Where do stars come from?
Rebels heart. Will of steel.
Eyes set on true north.
I love you, Little Bird.
I love you, too, Dad.
What are you doing here?
Im 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?
Theres only one bed.
I know we got off
to kind of a rough start.
I honestly had no idea, and Im
really sorry about your brother.
Okay? I really... didnt...
Are you really gonna smoke in here?
Yes.
Okay.
Isnt that against the rules?
Yes.
Do you always follow the rules?
No.
Prove it.
20 euro.
Twenty.
Uh, no, thank you.
No one enters without the worm.
Want to play a game?
Is she okay?
Are you sure this is a good idea?
Shes a big girl.
What kind of game?
Whoever stops dancing first drops out.
-Of school?
-Yes.
Of school.
Oh.
You in or not?
Im in.
Good.
My heart is on fire.
I think I might die.
You give up?
Never.
You?
Fuck no.
So what do we do?
We keep dancing.
-Fine.
-Fine.
We could both stop
at the exact same moment.
Nice try.
What?
Youll just tell me to stop
and then youd let me stop.
I would never do that.
Why should I trust you?
Im gonna count to three.
And were gonna both stop
exactly... at three.
Not before.
Not after.
One.
Two.
Three.
What about tomorrow?
What about it?
Are we friends?
Tomorrow is tomorrow.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Why didnt you wake me?
Set an alarm.
Whats that?
Its for luck. A charm.
Claire never dances without it.
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, Ive been
his partner for three months.
He wouldnt be able to lift you
with all the weight you gained
over Christmas.
Marine, Luc.
And Virginia
with... Jean Paul.
Try to relax.
Im fine.
Im a drug dealer.
If you need drugs, Ill deal them to you.
-Sorry.
-Heavy, Virginia.
Light. Be light.
And down.
You look like a sack of potatoes.
Madame Brunelle is just testing you.
Thats why we call her Le Diable.
She plays us off each other.
Anyone who partners with Felipe
will be the better dancer.
Hes the key to the prize.
Shell assign final partners
based on chemistry.
In the meantime, shes torturing me, too.
Le diable obtient ce qui lui est d.
What does that mean?
The Devil gets her due.
Youre currently ranking last.
I think its better to send you home now.
No. I know I can do better.
Let me tell you something, Virginia.
Kate.
My name is Kate.
And I cant go back.
Ive given up everything to be here.
Now were 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.
She prefers her meat fresh.
You just press this button here,
and it releases a gas that gently...
puts the rat to death.
Painless.
Clean.
Im not a monster.
If we dont 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?
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.
Dont tell me you pushed it.
Of course not.
76 euro?
Such a rip off.
They know we have to buy new
shoes each week. Its extortion.
I bet the devil gets kickbacks
from this fucking store.
Ballet Mafia.
Arent you getting any?
Uh, no. My shoes are fine.
M...
Come over here.
Are you okay?
Its 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.
Oh.
-Oh.
-Sorry.
Um, I was wondering, um,
if maybe...
you could dance with me sometime.
I know Im, like, really tall,
but youre tall
and appear strong and... I dont know.
Um, maybe you could help me
with some stuff.
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.
Okay, fall back.
No thinking. Breathe.
Youre beautiful.
Is something wrong?
Dont tell M.
Where are you going?
Embassy party.
Thats cool.
Id skip it, but I have to go.
Im the ambassadors daughter.
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.
Why is that funny?
Milks?
Macadamia, soy, coconut, almond, cashews.
Squeezable nuts.
Your mom is the American ambassador
and your dad is a nut milk tycoon.
So?
My dad pours concrete in Wakefield.
What about your mom?
Its just me and my dad.
Its nothing.
That ones nice.
Will you help me with the buttons?
Sure.
What does this mean?
"Never mind."
Okay.
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.
Shes beautiful.
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.
Its stupid, but, um...
...when I dance...
it feels like...
I can feel her.
You know? Like shes with me.
"How are your classes?"
Oh, theyre-theyre good.
"Any new friends?"
Well, my roommate... shes American.
-Shes fun.
-E-Enough.
Katherine Sanders.
You know her?
Shes the recipient of
the scholarship we established
in your brothers honor.
How come you-you didnt tell me?
I hear she may be sent home soon.
Cant you just talk to the school?
Isnt she supposed to be
your competition?
If wed known they were
gonna give the money
to a female dancer, we would
never have sent the check.
Shes my friend.
Boundaries, Marine.
Marine, can I see you please?
Your daughter is
quite... fascinating.
Spirited.
Youll excuse me, Im 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.
Look at you, Marine.
Ambassador Durand,
your daughter has grown.
Just about.
Oh, Marine is quite the dancer now.
Shes on track to join
the Paris Opera Ballet.
-If all goes well.
-Wow.
Well, wed love
to see you dance sometime.
Im sure shed be happy to.
Nest-ce pas, Marine?
Sure.
For your bloody feet.
Id offer to wash them for you,
but I think that might sound
a little creepy.
A little?
S-Sorry. That was so dumb.
-Ill leave you alone.
-No, no, I, uh...
I just dont let boys
look at or touch my feet.
Its a dancer thing.
And I strongly prefer women in socks.
Its a drummer thing.
My names Jamal.
M.
Just M?
Short for Marine, but I never liked that.
My brother used to call me Marionette.
Like the puppet.
And so... should I call you
Marionette?
Close your eyes.
Do they hurt?
Let me tell you a
little secret about ballerinas.
We are warriors of pain.
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.
Its who I am.
You must think Im really fucked-up.
I think youre sad.
And funny.
And a very good dancer.
Are you with an embassy?
No, I...
Im with the band.
Well, thats good because, uh...
um...
then we wont see each other again,
and we can just pretend this...
never happened.
The problem is I want to see you again.
Thats a bad idea.
I have poor judgment.
I dont have any time.
Then we better move fast.
Scott Sanders.
You know what to do.
Hey, Dad.
Sorry I keep missing your calls.
Um, everythings good here.
Things are going really well.
Yeah.
I love you.
Hey.
Hey.
How was it?
I acted out, as my therapist would say.
Mm.
Whats 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.
Will you tell it to me?
You really want to hear it?
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.
Rebels 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.
And thats how the stars were formed.
I dont want to win if...
if it means you lose.
Ill help you.
And well both dance so well...
...they wont have a choice.
And theyll have to make an exception.
And well both get the prize.
I like that.
Give me your earring.
-Is this real?
-Mm-hmm.
-I cant take this.
-I dont care. Come on.
Lets make a pact.
Repeat after me.
-This is our sacred oath.
-This is our sacred oath.
To always be there for each other.
To always be there for each other.
To help each other out
every step of the way.
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.
Thank you.
Youre a bigfoot, Virginia.
What were you and Gia talking about?
Oh, nothing.
Shes still pissed at me
because Felipe dumped her.
Mm-hmm.
She needs to get over it.
M, telephone.
Some guy named Jamal.
-The drummer?
-Mm-hmm.
I see the way you look at her.
You should be careful.
Shell make you think
that youre her new twin.
But when it comes to competition,
you get the knife in the back.
Still so boyish.
What is this?
Modifying the choreography.
Who does she think she is?
Stop.
Im 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.
What happened?
Just until your rank goes up.
I meant what I said.
Both of us or none at all.
Claire, toi.
Whats wrong?
My ribbon... I cant find it.
Her ribbon.
Dont panic. Well help find it.
Are you sure you checked in your bag?
Of course I looked there!
Well, check again.
Claire, we wont wait any longer.
Look at me.
You are a great dancer,
with or without your ribbon.
Go.
I know it was you.
What did she say?
Nothing.
Why have you not come
to see me, Marionette?
-Dont call me that.
-Why not?
You know why.
Dead rats.
Its a fight for survival now.
Hello, American girl.
I knew you would come to see me.
Pinks for up and blues for down.
I dont need drugs to dance.
Well, you are the exception.
Everyone else does.
You can ask your friend M.
She hasnt come to see me
since shes back.
Thats why her rank
is not as good as before.
Hey, theres no testing in ballet.
No one will ask you to pee in a cup.
Good, Ms. Sanders.
Go for it.
Good. Thats almost it.
There you go, lighter. Good.
Marine, wake up.
Wheres your head?
What are you thinking?
That I should go.
Says who?
You make me happy.
Its dangerous.
Youre right.
I am very dangerous.
What are you doing?
What are you...
Ah, wait. Wait, wait, wait.
Im not gonna look.
I wont look, I promise.
I just want to...
You can look.
These feet belong to a dancer,
not a marionette.
Theres more to you than just ballet.
Ive seen it.
Youre an artist, not a puppet.
Shoulders down.
Look at you. Thats good.
Come closer.
Im finally up to number two.
And Madame Brunelle,
the one who doesnt like me,
well, she finally paired me with
the best dancer in the school.
She saw we have chemistry
and, well, were basically unstoppable.
You do your best.
You do the right thing.
Thats all I care about.
Katie, Ive 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?
I didnt want to upset you.
We both got a lot to worry about, Kate.
The house, the dog...
Its a lot for me, okay?
Well, I guess I better win, right?
Its not like theres any home
to come back to.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Do you have something
you want to tell me?
Mm, what do you mean?
Why do you have Claires 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 didnt
want her to think I stole it.
You should have said something to me.
I know.
Im sorry.
I didnt mean for her to get hurt.
Its the worst thing Ive ever done.
Are you gonna turn me in?
Im sorry I went through your bag.
Its fine.
I thought you were taking pills.
You seem on edge lately.
And I know what thats like.
I had a dream about
the story you told me.
About the little bird.
She fell from the sky.
Her body was broken.
She was in so much pain.
But then another bird appeared.
She helped her fly again.
Thats going to be you one day.
Giselle, my love!
-Dont go.
-I must leave you.
My heart will ache for all of eternity!
Shut the fuck up!
People are trying to sleep!
Sorry!
Sorry!
Good night, Gia. Sleep well.
Sleep well, Gia.
Fuck off!
-I have an idea.
-What?
-You have a phone?
-I gave them a burner.
-Come here.
-Ah, genius.
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, hes typing.
Come on.
Oh, we see you.
We know youre there.
-Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
-Oh, my God. -Be cool.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Hi there. Do I know you?
You look familiar.
You need a hint?
Youre 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 cant believe Im 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.
-Good night, girls.
-Good night.
Bonne nuit.
How do you have his phone number?
Hell be here in a moment.
Have they assigned final partners?
Not yet.
We think theyll announce it
in the next couple of weeks
once theyve narrowed it down
to the top five.
Will Marine make the cut?
I hear shes right on the edge.
Of course she will.
When Marine danced with Ollie,
they were always number one.
Ollie wouldve been the next Nureyev.
-He was that good.
-He wasnt the next Nureyev.
How would you know?
Youre not even on track
to be the next member
of the corps de ballet.
I dont feel well.
I wanted to say thank you
for the scholarship.
I know its supposed to be anonymous,
so I wasnt going to say anything.
Um...
but M told me.
It means everything.
I just wanted to say
it means even more to me
to know that its in Ollies name.
I know how close he and M were.
Yes.
But now she has you.
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.
She hates me.
No.
I dont blame her.
It was my fault.
-It wasnt your fault.
-You dont know that.
Ollie and I... we were like...
the same person.
My mom...
What?
Hey.
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.
Wed moved all the furniture to the side
like we used to do when we were little.
And she, um...
She walked in.
We didnt know she was home.
And she screamed.
So loud.
And she pulled us apart...
and she slapped me.
And then she told my dad what she saw...
What she thought she saw.
He didnt believe her.
She wouldnt listen to anyone.
We were just dancing, but...
...my mom couldnt look at
either of us after that.
Ollie...
...he...
...he... wed...
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.
And I d...
I d... I didnt answer.
I didnt answer.
What happened to our promise?
Never mind, right?
Okay. Never mind.
a ne fait rien.
What happened to our promise?
Never mind, right?
Okay. Never mind.
a ne fait rien.
I have something to tell you, too.
I already know.
You do?
Felipe told me.
Thought it would make me jealous.
Were you?
At first.
And then I realized
it wasnt because
you were with Felipe, but...
...because Felipe was with you.
He thinks he has all the power.
That were all in love with him.
I just want to know what it feels like.
What?
To be you.
Hi.
Hi.
What are you doing here?
I dont know.
You just stopped answering my calls.
And now I kind of feel like a stalker.
Maybe you are one.
So thats it?
I went by your house.
I didnt 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.
Shes right.
Good luck with your prize.
-Dad, guess what.
-What?
I made the top five.
Of course you did.
Aw, thats wonderful, Katie.
Felipe, today you will pair with...
I mean, honestly,
the way that things are going,
I think theyre gonna
make Felipe my partner
for the prize dance.
Bonjour.
I need new shoes.
Im done helping you.
There are only five of us left.
Youre on your own now.
My shoes.
Shoes.
Your shoes. I know.
Theres only one prize.
I was nice.
Flicitation.
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.
Whats wrong?
This is such bullshit.
Its like they want me to lose.
Were gonna figure it out.
Were not gonna let anything
or anyone come between us.
Were not gonna give up on the pact.
I know.
Its just...
you wouldnt understand.
This is my one chance.
Okay.
The prize dance is on the horizon,
and nothing should
distract you from that.
However, its 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...
with you two.
Good luck.
Dont be nervous.
Just show us what you can do.
Virginia,
lets not waste any more
of Sarah and Benjamins time.
Shall we?
Im happy they picked you.
You dont seem happy.
I am.
You deserve it.
Thanks.
I mean, its not the prize, but
its still pretty cool, I guess.
Where is your earring?
Oh, um...
I dont know.
It mustve fallen out.
Ill give you another one.
Oh, no, no, no, dont worry about it.
Dont worry, its just a shiny rock.
I dont want another one.
We need to talk.
-About the pact.
-Are you serious?
You dont want to keep the pact
now that youre ranked higher than me,
but you were fine with it
when you were at the bottom.
Its not about that.
Im just trying to be realistic.
Since when?
You think you can
fuck your way to stardom
and thats gonna make you high-class.
Kate Sanders, youre up.
We need to rehearse.
What did you expect?
It doesnt matter.
Benjamins gonna be a judge
at the final evaluation.
He knows what I can do.
It does matter.
This is so unfair to me.
Did you think of this?
Lucs refusing to dance with me.
I cant be expected to rehearse
for Benjamins project
and the academy at the same time.
Well, thats exactly
what you are expected to do.
The understudy role doesnt mean
that youre gonna get a contract...
or win the prize.
It doesnt mean anything.
Youve never liked me.
You have never given me a real chance.
Do you think I dont see you?
If I didnt like you,
Id just let you fail.
Oh, thank you.
You look great.
We are gathered here today
to celebrate the birth
of this obscenely talented brat
that Im very proud to call
my collaborator and friend.
Lets be honest, Benjamin.
This toast wouldnt 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.
Long live Benjamin.
-Long live ballet.
-Long live ballet.
Long live ballet.
Long live ballet!
What did she mean by
"pander to their demands"?
Hmm.
Shes 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.
But not the best?
She became the best with my guidance.
-But...
-But what, ma chrie?
Its never been an even playing field.
Its always been about sex, blood, money.
Its all that matters.
Katie?
Are you okay?
I need you to tell me the truth.
Why did you sell the house?
They said...
the Durand family had a change
of heart, whatever that means.
The bastards revoked your scholarship.
Whats wrong?
Youre scaring me.
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.
Why would you do that to me?
I-I s... I swear, I didnt...
I didnt.
I didnt know.
Youre such a liar!
I swear on my life, I would
never purposely hurt you.
Were best friends.
Were sisters.
You would have a threesome
with your sister?
Oh, thats right.
You probably would.
Kate!
Can we talk?
Please.
Whats going on?
Is it true?
Is what true?
You and Ollie.
Everyone is saying that
your mother caught you guys fucking,
and thats why he killed himself.
No, its not... its not true.
Thats not true.
-You know thats not true.
-Dont fucking touch me.
You disgust me.
Hi.
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.
It didnt make any sense.
-Whatd 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.
Its 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...
...its made me stronger.
Blessed is she who falls.
Blessed is she who rises again.
So youre dancing a solo.
Yes.
Madame Brunelle says, because
you decided to dance alone,
shes reassigning Felipe to me.
Isnt that what you wanted?
Welcome, friends,
family.
Thank you for being here to witness
these ten extraordinary young dancers...
...a contract with
the Paris Opera Ballet.
Thank you.
That took courage.
I didnt know you could
choreograph like that.
I would love to dance for you one day.
It would be an honor.
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.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
And now to our talented ballerinas,
a subject of much debate.
Gia.
You havent won the prize today.
But we would like to offer you
an apprenticeship
with the Paris Opera Ballet.
Merci.
Bravo.
The time has come for which ballerina
will win the prize.
The winner of the contract
for the Paris Opera Ballet is...
Wait.
I dont want it.
What are you doing?
What about Ollies 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!
Mademoiselle Sanders,
the prize belongs to you.
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.
So who was it?
Me or M?
Please.
I need to know.
Kate!
Hi.
I saw the show.
You were really good.
Thanks.
How are you?
Actually really good.
Great, even.
It took me a long time to be
able to say that, but, um...
...its 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?
-Im not...
-Bullshit!
You should be mad at me!
You should fucking hate me!
Why dont you hate me?
Im sorry.
Sorry.
You have no idea
how much I wish I could take back
everything that happened,
everything I did.
Im sorry.
Virginia.
Blessed is she who falls.
Blessed is she who rises again.
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.
The fall nearly broke her.
But she embraced the pain
she could no longer escape...
...and opened her heart
once more to the sky.
What was that?
Glissade assembl, sissonne...
You are a dancer...
-not a horse.
-Im sorry.
I dont 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...
Ive 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.
Ill ask you one more time.
Why have you come here?
Im here to win the prize.
Marine!
Marine!
I told you, youre 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?
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.
Who is she?
Apparently she only started
dancing five years ago.
Before that she played basketball.
-Basketball?
-Oui.
Shes too awkward to be a ballerina.
Oh, fuck.
What are you doing back?
Had nothing better to do.
Whats new?
After you left last fall,
Gia took number one.
Shes the favorite.
Youre back?
Nice to see you, too.
You broke out of the mental hospital?
You flatter me.
Felipe... youre up, baby.
How do my leftovers taste?
Like victory.
Hetero dancers are such sluts.
Cover my tattoos so the devil
doesnt shit her Spanx.
Felipes so good.
Hes the best.
If Ollie were here, hed be better.
No one is better than Felipe.
Ollie was always number one.
Whos Ollie?
Who are you?
Im Kate.
Hi.
Im the one from Virginia.
Shes here to take your place.
Oh, Ollie.
Yes, he was the dancer who...
He jumped off a bridge, right?
Whatd you say?
M, stop...
-Uh...
-What the fuck did you say?
-I...
-He didnt jump.
Sorry. I read a post that
he jumped off a bridge.
-Oh, my God.
-Stop!
Putain, putain.
Im gonna kill you!
Im gonna fucking kill you!
Absolute perfection, Felipe.
Thank you.
He was the last rat?
So you decided to join us after all.
Your parents made quite the case
for your return.
Im not doing it for them.
Im doing it for Ollie.
Im Luc.
Im Claire.
I dont get it.
What did I do?
Ollie... he was her brother.
He was her twin.
The other half of her soul.
Oh.
Just because you were number one once
does not mean you will be again.
I will be number one.
You are dismissed, rat.
Two Americans?
One too many.
We wont have two for long.
Your appearance today was unacceptable.
Youre extra-large, right?
Let me see if I can find
something that big.
That will be a hundred euros.
-Well, Im on scholarship.
-Yes.
You have a scholarship
to attend as a foreign student.
It does not include the expenses.
They didnt 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.
They want ballerinas
to be light and graceful.
They want girls to be girls
and boys to be boys,
and if you dont fit into that mold...
...theyll simply
find somebody who does.
Trust me, I know.
Youre 18, yes?
Sign your consent here.
And your mobile phone please.
Its going well.
Everyones super French.
Yeah.
You making any friends?
Uh... yeah.
Yeah.
People are... nice.
Well, good. Good.
Billy Elliot says bonjour.
Bonjour, Billy.
The house feels empty without you.
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.
Where do stars come from?
Rebels heart. Will of steel.
Eyes set on true north.
I love you, Little Bird.
I love you, too, Dad.
What are you doing here?
Im 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?
Theres only one bed.
I know we got off
to kind of a rough start.
I honestly had no idea, and Im
really sorry about your brother.
Okay? I really... didnt...
Are you really gonna smoke in here?
Yes.
Okay.
Isnt that against the rules?
Yes.
Do you always follow the rules?
No.
Prove it.
20 euro.
Twenty.
Uh, no, thank you.
No one enters without the worm.
Want to play a game?
Is she okay?
Are you sure this is a good idea?
Shes a big girl.
What kind of game?
Whoever stops dancing first drops out.
-Of school?
-Yes.
Of school.
Oh.
You in or not?
Im in.
Good.
My heart is on fire.
I think I might die.
You give up?
Never.
You?
Fuck no.
So what do we do?
We keep dancing.
-Fine.
-Fine.
We could both stop
at the exact same moment.
Nice try.
What?
Youll just tell me to stop
and then youd let me stop.
I would never do that.
Why should I trust you?
Im gonna count to three.
And were gonna both stop
exactly... at three.
Not before.
Not after.
One.
Two.
Three.
What about tomorrow?
What about it?
Are we friends?
Tomorrow is tomorrow.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Why didnt you wake me?
Set an alarm.
Whats that?
Its for luck. A charm.
Claire never dances without it.
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, Ive been
his partner for three months.
He wouldnt be able to lift you
with all the weight you gained
over Christmas.
Marine, Luc.
And Virginia
with... Jean Paul.
Try to relax.
Im fine.
Im a drug dealer.
If you need drugs, Ill deal them to you.
-Sorry.
-Heavy, Virginia.
Light. Be light.
And down.
You look like a sack of potatoes.
Madame Brunelle is just testing you.
Thats why we call her Le Diable.
She plays us off each other.
Anyone who partners with Felipe
will be the better dancer.
Hes the key to the prize.
Shell assign final partners
based on chemistry.
In the meantime, shes torturing me, too.
Le diable obtient ce qui lui est d.
What does that mean?
The Devil gets her due.
Youre currently ranking last.
I think its better to send you home now.
No. I know I can do better.
Let me tell you something, Virginia.
Kate.
My name is Kate.
And I cant go back.
Ive given up everything to be here.
Now were 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.
She prefers her meat fresh.
You just press this button here,
and it releases a gas that gently...
puts the rat to death.
Painless.
Clean.
Im not a monster.
If we dont 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?
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.
Dont tell me you pushed it.
Of course not.
76 euro?
Such a rip off.
They know we have to buy new
shoes each week. Its extortion.
I bet the devil gets kickbacks
from this fucking store.
Ballet Mafia.
Arent you getting any?
Uh, no. My shoes are fine.
M...
Come over here.
Are you okay?
Its 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.
Oh.
-Oh.
-Sorry.
Um, I was wondering, um,
if maybe...
you could dance with me sometime.
I know Im, like, really tall,
but youre tall
and appear strong and... I dont know.
Um, maybe you could help me
with some stuff.
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.
Okay, fall back.
No thinking. Breathe.
Youre beautiful.
Is something wrong?
Dont tell M.
Where are you going?
Embassy party.
Thats cool.
Id skip it, but I have to go.
Im the ambassadors daughter.
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.
Why is that funny?
Milks?
Macadamia, soy, coconut, almond, cashews.
Squeezable nuts.
Your mom is the American ambassador
and your dad is a nut milk tycoon.
So?
My dad pours concrete in Wakefield.
What about your mom?
Its just me and my dad.
Its nothing.
That ones nice.
Will you help me with the buttons?
Sure.
What does this mean?
"Never mind."
Okay.
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.
Shes beautiful.
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.
Its stupid, but, um...
...when I dance...
it feels like...
I can feel her.
You know? Like shes with me.
"How are your classes?"
Oh, theyre-theyre good.
"Any new friends?"
Well, my roommate... shes American.
-Shes fun.
-E-Enough.
Katherine Sanders.
You know her?
Shes the recipient of
the scholarship we established
in your brothers honor.
How come you-you didnt tell me?
I hear she may be sent home soon.
Cant you just talk to the school?
Isnt she supposed to be
your competition?
If wed known they were
gonna give the money
to a female dancer, we would
never have sent the check.
Shes my friend.
Boundaries, Marine.
Marine, can I see you please?
Your daughter is
quite... fascinating.
Spirited.
Youll excuse me, Im 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.
Look at you, Marine.
Ambassador Durand,
your daughter has grown.
Just about.
Oh, Marine is quite the dancer now.
Shes on track to join
the Paris Opera Ballet.
-If all goes well.
-Wow.
Well, wed love
to see you dance sometime.
Im sure shed be happy to.
Nest-ce pas, Marine?
Sure.
For your bloody feet.
Id offer to wash them for you,
but I think that might sound
a little creepy.
A little?
S-Sorry. That was so dumb.
-Ill leave you alone.
-No, no, I, uh...
I just dont let boys
look at or touch my feet.
Its a dancer thing.
And I strongly prefer women in socks.
Its a drummer thing.
My names Jamal.
M.
Just M?
Short for Marine, but I never liked that.
My brother used to call me Marionette.
Like the puppet.
And so... should I call you
Marionette?
Close your eyes.
Do they hurt?
Let me tell you a
little secret about ballerinas.
We are warriors of pain.
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.
Its who I am.
You must think Im really fucked-up.
I think youre sad.
And funny.
And a very good dancer.
Are you with an embassy?
No, I...
Im with the band.
Well, thats good because, uh...
um...
then we wont see each other again,
and we can just pretend this...
never happened.
The problem is I want to see you again.
Thats a bad idea.
I have poor judgment.
I dont have any time.
Then we better move fast.
Scott Sanders.
You know what to do.
Hey, Dad.
Sorry I keep missing your calls.
Um, everythings good here.
Things are going really well.
Yeah.
I love you.
Hey.
Hey.
How was it?
I acted out, as my therapist would say.
Mm.
Whats 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.
Will you tell it to me?
You really want to hear it?
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.
Rebels 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.
And thats how the stars were formed.
I dont want to win if...
if it means you lose.
Ill help you.
And well both dance so well...
...they wont have a choice.
And theyll have to make an exception.
And well both get the prize.
I like that.
Give me your earring.
-Is this real?
-Mm-hmm.
-I cant take this.
-I dont care. Come on.
Lets make a pact.
Repeat after me.
-This is our sacred oath.
-This is our sacred oath.
To always be there for each other.
To always be there for each other.
To help each other out
every step of the way.
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.
Thank you.
Youre a bigfoot, Virginia.
What were you and Gia talking about?
Oh, nothing.
Shes still pissed at me
because Felipe dumped her.
Mm-hmm.
She needs to get over it.
M, telephone.
Some guy named Jamal.
-The drummer?
-Mm-hmm.
I see the way you look at her.
You should be careful.
Shell make you think
that youre her new twin.
But when it comes to competition,
you get the knife in the back.
Still so boyish.
What is this?
Modifying the choreography.
Who does she think she is?
Stop.
Im 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.
What happened?
Just until your rank goes up.
I meant what I said.
Both of us or none at all.
Claire, toi.
Whats wrong?
My ribbon... I cant find it.
Her ribbon.
Dont panic. Well help find it.
Are you sure you checked in your bag?
Of course I looked there!
Well, check again.
Claire, we wont wait any longer.
Look at me.
You are a great dancer,
with or without your ribbon.
Go.
I know it was you.
What did she say?
Nothing.
Why have you not come
to see me, Marionette?
-Dont call me that.
-Why not?
You know why.
Dead rats.
Its a fight for survival now.
Hello, American girl.
I knew you would come to see me.
Pinks for up and blues for down.
I dont need drugs to dance.
Well, you are the exception.
Everyone else does.
You can ask your friend M.
She hasnt come to see me
since shes back.
Thats why her rank
is not as good as before.
Hey, theres no testing in ballet.
No one will ask you to pee in a cup.
Good, Ms. Sanders.
Go for it.
Good. Thats almost it.
There you go, lighter. Good.
Marine, wake up.
Wheres your head?
What are you thinking?
That I should go.
Says who?
You make me happy.
Its dangerous.
Youre right.
I am very dangerous.
What are you doing?
What are you...
Ah, wait. Wait, wait, wait.
Im not gonna look.
I wont look, I promise.
I just want to...
You can look.
These feet belong to a dancer,
not a marionette.
Theres more to you than just ballet.
Ive seen it.
Youre an artist, not a puppet.
Shoulders down.
Look at you. Thats good.
Come closer.
Im finally up to number two.
And Madame Brunelle,
the one who doesnt like me,
well, she finally paired me with
the best dancer in the school.
She saw we have chemistry
and, well, were basically unstoppable.
You do your best.
You do the right thing.
Thats all I care about.
Katie, Ive 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?
I didnt want to upset you.
We both got a lot to worry about, Kate.
The house, the dog...
Its a lot for me, okay?
Well, I guess I better win, right?
Its not like theres any home
to come back to.
-Hey.
-Hey.
Do you have something
you want to tell me?
Mm, what do you mean?
Why do you have Claires 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 didnt
want her to think I stole it.
You should have said something to me.
I know.
Im sorry.
I didnt mean for her to get hurt.
Its the worst thing Ive ever done.
Are you gonna turn me in?
Im sorry I went through your bag.
Its fine.
I thought you were taking pills.
You seem on edge lately.
And I know what thats like.
I had a dream about
the story you told me.
About the little bird.
She fell from the sky.
Her body was broken.
She was in so much pain.
But then another bird appeared.
She helped her fly again.
Thats going to be you one day.
Giselle, my love!
-Dont go.
-I must leave you.
My heart will ache for all of eternity!
Shut the fuck up!
People are trying to sleep!
Sorry!
Sorry!
Good night, Gia. Sleep well.
Sleep well, Gia.
Fuck off!
-I have an idea.
-What?
-You have a phone?
-I gave them a burner.
-Come here.
-Ah, genius.
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, hes typing.
Come on.
Oh, we see you.
We know youre there.
-Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
-Oh, my God. -Be cool.
Oh, my God.
Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
Hi there. Do I know you?
You look familiar.
You need a hint?
Youre 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 cant believe Im 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.
-Good night, girls.
-Good night.
Bonne nuit.
How do you have his phone number?
Hell be here in a moment.
Have they assigned final partners?
Not yet.
We think theyll announce it
in the next couple of weeks
once theyve narrowed it down
to the top five.
Will Marine make the cut?
I hear shes right on the edge.
Of course she will.
When Marine danced with Ollie,
they were always number one.
Ollie wouldve been the next Nureyev.
-He was that good.
-He wasnt the next Nureyev.
How would you know?
Youre not even on track
to be the next member
of the corps de ballet.
I dont feel well.
I wanted to say thank you
for the scholarship.
I know its supposed to be anonymous,
so I wasnt going to say anything.
Um...
but M told me.
It means everything.
I just wanted to say
it means even more to me
to know that its in Ollies name.
I know how close he and M were.
Yes.
But now she has you.
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.
She hates me.
No.
I dont blame her.
It was my fault.
-It wasnt your fault.
-You dont know that.
Ollie and I... we were like...
the same person.
My mom...
What?
Hey.
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.
Wed moved all the furniture to the side
like we used to do when we were little.
And she, um...
She walked in.
We didnt know she was home.
And she screamed.
So loud.
And she pulled us apart...
and she slapped me.
And then she told my dad what she saw...
What she thought she saw.
He didnt believe her.
She wouldnt listen to anyone.
We were just dancing, but...
...my mom couldnt look at
either of us after that.
Ollie...
...he...
...he... wed...
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.
And I d...
I d... I didnt answer.
I didnt answer.
What happened to our promise?
Never mind, right?
Okay. Never mind.
a ne fait rien.
What happened to our promise?
Never mind, right?
Okay. Never mind.
a ne fait rien.
I have something to tell you, too.
I already know.
You do?
Felipe told me.
Thought it would make me jealous.
Were you?
At first.
And then I realized
it wasnt because
you were with Felipe, but...
...because Felipe was with you.
He thinks he has all the power.
That were all in love with him.
I just want to know what it feels like.
What?
To be you.
Hi.
Hi.
What are you doing here?
I dont know.
You just stopped answering my calls.
And now I kind of feel like a stalker.
Maybe you are one.
So thats it?
I went by your house.
I didnt 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.
Shes right.
Good luck with your prize.
-Dad, guess what.
-What?
I made the top five.
Of course you did.
Aw, thats wonderful, Katie.
Felipe, today you will pair with...
I mean, honestly,
the way that things are going,
I think theyre gonna
make Felipe my partner
for the prize dance.
Bonjour.
I need new shoes.
Im done helping you.
There are only five of us left.
Youre on your own now.
My shoes.
Shoes.
Your shoes. I know.
Theres only one prize.
I was nice.
Flicitation.
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.
Whats wrong?
This is such bullshit.
Its like they want me to lose.
Were gonna figure it out.
Were not gonna let anything
or anyone come between us.
Were not gonna give up on the pact.
I know.
Its just...
you wouldnt understand.
This is my one chance.
Okay.
The prize dance is on the horizon,
and nothing should
distract you from that.
However, its 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...
with you two.
Good luck.
Dont be nervous.
Just show us what you can do.
Virginia,
lets not waste any more
of Sarah and Benjamins time.
Shall we?
Im happy they picked you.
You dont seem happy.
I am.
You deserve it.
Thanks.
I mean, its not the prize, but
its still pretty cool, I guess.
Where is your earring?
Oh, um...
I dont know.
It mustve fallen out.
Ill give you another one.
Oh, no, no, no, dont worry about it.
Dont worry, its just a shiny rock.
I dont want another one.
We need to talk.
-About the pact.
-Are you serious?
You dont want to keep the pact
now that youre ranked higher than me,
but you were fine with it
when you were at the bottom.
Its not about that.
Im just trying to be realistic.
Since when?
You think you can
fuck your way to stardom
and thats gonna make you high-class.
Kate Sanders, youre up.
We need to rehearse.
What did you expect?
It doesnt matter.
Benjamins gonna be a judge
at the final evaluation.
He knows what I can do.
It does matter.
This is so unfair to me.
Did you think of this?
Lucs refusing to dance with me.
I cant be expected to rehearse
for Benjamins project
and the academy at the same time.
Well, thats exactly
what you are expected to do.
The understudy role doesnt mean
that youre gonna get a contract...
or win the prize.
It doesnt mean anything.
Youve never liked me.
You have never given me a real chance.
Do you think I dont see you?
If I didnt like you,
Id just let you fail.
Oh, thank you.
You look great.
We are gathered here today
to celebrate the birth
of this obscenely talented brat
that Im very proud to call
my collaborator and friend.
Lets be honest, Benjamin.
This toast wouldnt 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.
Long live Benjamin.
-Long live ballet.
-Long live ballet.
Long live ballet.
Long live ballet!
What did she mean by
"pander to their demands"?
Hmm.
Shes 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.
But not the best?
She became the best with my guidance.
-But...
-But what, ma chrie?
Its never been an even playing field.
Its always been about sex, blood, money.
Its all that matters.
Katie?
Are you okay?
I need you to tell me the truth.
Why did you sell the house?
They said...
the Durand family had a change
of heart, whatever that means.
The bastards revoked your scholarship.
Whats wrong?
Youre scaring me.
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.
Why would you do that to me?
I-I s... I swear, I didnt...
I didnt.
I didnt know.
Youre such a liar!
I swear on my life, I would
never purposely hurt you.
Were best friends.
Were sisters.
You would have a threesome
with your sister?
Oh, thats right.
You probably would.
Kate!
Can we talk?
Please.
Whats going on?
Is it true?
Is what true?
You and Ollie.
Everyone is saying that
your mother caught you guys fucking,
and thats why he killed himself.
No, its not... its not true.
Thats not true.
-You know thats not true.
-Dont fucking touch me.
You disgust me.
Hi.
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.
It didnt make any sense.
-Whatd 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.
Its 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...
...its made me stronger.
Blessed is she who falls.
Blessed is she who rises again.
So youre dancing a solo.
Yes.
Madame Brunelle says, because
you decided to dance alone,
shes reassigning Felipe to me.
Isnt that what you wanted?
Welcome, friends,
family.
Thank you for being here to witness
these ten extraordinary young dancers...
...a contract with
the Paris Opera Ballet.
Thank you.
That took courage.
I didnt know you could
choreograph like that.
I would love to dance for you one day.
It would be an honor.
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.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
And now to our talented ballerinas,
a subject of much debate.
Gia.
You havent won the prize today.
But we would like to offer you
an apprenticeship
with the Paris Opera Ballet.
Merci.
Bravo.
The time has come for which ballerina
will win the prize.
The winner of the contract
for the Paris Opera Ballet is...
Wait.
I dont want it.
What are you doing?
What about Ollies 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!
Mademoiselle Sanders,
the prize belongs to you.
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.
So who was it?
Me or M?
Please.
I need to know.
Kate!
Hi.
I saw the show.
You were really good.
Thanks.
How are you?
Actually really good.
Great, even.
It took me a long time to be
able to say that, but, um...
...its 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?
-Im not...
-Bullshit!
You should be mad at me!
You should fucking hate me!
Why dont you hate me?
Im sorry.
Sorry.
You have no idea
how much I wish I could take back
everything that happened,
everything I did.
Im sorry.
Virginia.
Blessed is she who falls.
Blessed is she who rises again.
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.
The fall nearly broke her.
But she embraced the pain
she could no longer escape...
...and opened her heart
once more to the sky.