Synopsis
Birds of Paradise follows the storyline of Kate Sanders (Diana Silvers), an ambitious and gifted ballerina from Virginia who wins a scholarship to the most prestigious of ballet schooling in Paris. It would not be how she imagined as she would face such an emotionally intensive and competitive atmosphere. These are the times when she has to focus her energy on meeting with Marine Durand (Kristine Frøseth), a dancer who is talented but still seems to be angered by the loss of her brother due to tragic suicide.
Kate becomes an outsider in this community, or rather someone that Marine has no choice but to tolerate until their relationship improves. As time goes by, their relationship is not that straightforward; it has underlying grit and tension. This dynamic is especially pertinent as they prepare for a one chance in a lifetime scene with their eyes set on getting signed with the Opéra national de Paris. The film is filled with how an artist’s journey is riddled with endless torment and anguish coupled with sheer ambition and determination. The final stage is a contract, and it should be very critical from the moment of realization as every single one of them in the process of constant training and excessive motivation.
Of primary concern in this drama are their relationships which are rather elliptical tenderness, trust, betrayal, and craving for each other’s presence penetrating all layers of the story. Dance becomes an event and a cross-cut of their lives emphasizing their energy into something bigger. It is primarily their emotions that depict how ballet is embedded to those who consider themselves to be true artists.
Awards & Wins
Although Birds of Paradise has yet to win prestigious accolades, it has been well reviewed, especially with its storyboarding, and has won awards for the film’s art direction. Reviewers have emphasized the film’s capability of marrying ballet’s sophistication with one’s character’s life only in a stylized manner. It has successfully carved out a specific market segment among followers of dance-themed dramas and low-budget artistic films.
Cast & Crew
- Director: Sarah Adina Smith (Legion, The Midnight Swim)
- Writer: Sarah Adina Smith, adapted from A.K. Small’s novel Bright Burning Stars
- Key Cast:
- Diana Silvers as Kate Sanders
- Kristine Frøseth as Marine Durand
- Jacqueline Bisset as Madame Brunelle
- Solomon Golding as Luc
- Daniel Camargo as Felipe
IMDb Ratings
The movie has an IMDb rating of 5.9/10, a reflection of mixed reviews. While audiences praised the atmospheric visuals, layered performances, and intricate choreography, some criticized the film’s pacing and narrative ambition, which they felt detracted from its emotional impact.
Personal Insights
Ambition and the choice to become great is the essence of Birds of Paradise. A bow to the ballet world in the film depicts more than just aesthetics, there is the wear and tear on the body, the fragility of the psyche, and the constant pendulum swing between harmony and active rivalry which is quite exhausting.
The chemistry between Diana Silvers and Kristine Frøseth is remarkable, as they take on the roles of opponents who become friends, which is the best part of the film in many people’s view. The connection between the two individuals can be described as intimate and rather fragile, as their narrative grapples with sadness, affection and self without idealizing their suffering.
There is also award-winning cinematography as Sarah Adina Smith tries to enhance the extreme and sometimes unreal emotions of her characters through surreal camera work. The dances are integrated into the language of the film and serve to illustrate its ideas rather than just to entertain.
Often the film is too ambitious in balancing multiple plots, sometimes leading to a disruption in the coherence of the narration, however, the overall experience it provides and the details of the world of ballet it manages to render, make it an enjoyable film.
Cultural Significance
Birds of Paradise is one of the few films that are focused entirely on ballet. Other notable ballet-centric films include Black Swan and The Red Shoes and like its sister films, Birds of Paradise is also centered on the dancers and the sacrifices as well as the psychological toll that must be endured in order to succeed in this field which is both a blessing and a heavy criticism.
The creators of the film chose to put the scene in France as this is one of the greatest centers of culture and so such a craving is universal. For women and particularly younger women aspiring to join a competitive field like performing arts, the film has elements of hardworking, looking for self, pushing relationships where competition exists, yet true friendships are there as well.
Also, the film explores the topic of loss grief through Marine’s death and how this is intertwined with creativity which adds a layer of drama to the film increasing its level. The film shows us ballet both as an art where it requires strong discipline to master, but also where it has a creativity side that helps the artist to express himself.
Should You Watch It?
For viewers who appreciated the movies Black Swan or Center Stage and find the tales of darker individual ambition against striking scenery interesting, then Birds of Paradise is definitely worth picking up. No less than stunning visuals and outstanding dance scenes along with rich character development make it an emotional and visual experience.
However, refrain from setting the bar too high when it comes to the pacing and rather over-cooked storyline—these are likely not everybody’s cup of tea. Nevertheless, the movie works as a raw and fascinating depiction of the ballet sphere and sacrifices needed to achieve perfection.
