1 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 3 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The American
"Steps to greatness take you to the edge."
2023 1h 50m EN
👍
6.8
SOLID
★6.8TMDB · 101
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
American ballet dancer Joy Womack is accepted into Moscow's infamously tough Bolshoi Ballet Academy, with the dream of becoming a great ballerina.
“Steps to greatness take you to the edge.”
Cast
Talia Ryder
Joy Womack
Diane Kruger
Tatiyana Volkova
Oleg Ivenko
Nikolay Lebedev
Natasha Alderslade
Eleanor Womak
Natalia Osipova
Natalia Osipova
Charlotte Ubben
Diana Ava Maria
Borys Szyc
Andrei Vadys
Tomasz Kot
Vitaliy Ivanov
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- James Napier Robertson
- Writers
- James Napier Robertson
- Languages
- Russian, English
- Countries
- New Zealand, Poland, United Kingdom, United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Russian, English.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 4 countries: New Zealand, Poland, United Kingdom, United States of America.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by James Napier Robertson, shot by Tomasz Naumiuk. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Dana Lund. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Chris Plummer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Talia Ryder and Diane Kruger and Oleg Ivenko carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Steps to greatness take you to the edge.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
James Napier Robertson directs. Tomasz Naumiuk behind the camera. Dana Lund scores. Chris Plummer cuts. Produced in New Zealand, Poland, United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in Russian, English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Released 3 years ago.
- 2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Russian, English.
- 3International production across 4 countries: New Zealand, Poland, United Kingdom, United States of America.
- 4Directed by James Napier Robertson, shot by Tomasz Naumiuk. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Dana Lund. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Chris Plummer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Talia Ryder and Diane Kruger and Oleg Ivenko carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "Steps to greatness take you to the edge.".
- 9IMDB entry: tt12531856 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Tomasz Naumiuk
- Original score
- Dana Lund
- Editing
- Chris Plummer
- Costume design
- Katarzyna Lewińska
- Makeup / hair
- Waldemar Pokromski
- Stunt coordinator
- Jarosław Golec
- Runtime
- 110 min · 1h 50m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Box office
- $324,522
- Original language
- EN
Also by
James Napier Robertson
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Ingenious Media
GB
New Zealand Film Commission
NZ
Anonymous Content
US
- BE
Be Hope Films
NZ
Four Knights Film
NZ
Madants
PL
Grupa Moderator Studio Filmowe
PL
Key crew
- Costume DesignKatarzyna Lewińska
- Makeup ArtistWaldemar Pokromski
- ProducerBelindalee Hope
- Executive ProducerPhilip Rose
- Executive ProducerLaurie Ross
- Executive ProducerAndrea Scarso
- Executive ProducerPeter Touche
- Executive ProducerCharlotte Ubben
- Executive ProducerRobert Walak
- Executive ProducerMichael Cerny
- Assistant DirectorMonika Mazur
- Assistant DirectorAnne-Sophie Puget
- Assistant DirectorBernard Sierakowski
- Assistant DirectorKatarzyna Warzecha
- CastingAnna Kasińska
- CastingJoanna Baranowska
- ScriptAnna Więcek
- Steadicam OperatorTomasz Karnowski
- Steadicam OperatorJacek Drofiak
- Master Lighting ArtistŁukasz Głaszczka
- Key GripSebastian Frąc
- GripIgor Słupecki
- GripMarcin Grzegory
- Additional GripAdam Frąc
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- dance
- dancer
- ballet dancer
- based on true story
- ballet
- ballerina
- bolshoi ballet
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2024-01-10· Palm Springs International Film Festival
- Theatrical (limited)2024-05-17
- Digital2024-05-17
Also known as
International titles
- JoikaUS
- Joika - A un passo dal sognoIT
- Πρίμα Μπαλαρίνα JoikaGR
- ДжойкаRU
