Her directorial debut garners high praise at the Toronto International Film Festival and beyond

The Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) is one of the world's premier ballet competitions, on par with the Prix de Lausanne. Held annually in New York, it's a highly competitive event where only 300 out of over 5,000 applicants aged 9 to 19 from around the globe make it to the final round.

The film's protagonists are six children who reached the finals of the YAGP 2010, a gateway for aspiring ballet dancers where winning can lead to scholarships at prestigious international schools or contracts with ballet companies. The documentary closely chronicles the passionate journey of these young dancers, who endure rigorous training yet their eyes sparkle with the love of dance as they strive towards their dreams.



The film is written, directed, and edited by Beth Kargman, marking her directorial debut. A former journalist, Kargman herself was passionate about ballet. Her understanding of the children's emotions allowed her to spend two years on filming and editing. Despite it being her first feature, she has received numerous awards, including the Audience Award for Documentary at last year's Toronto International Film Festival.

Family dramas come to the fore

The film features six children pushing themselves to their limits to achieve their dreams, each living in unique circumstances. Among them is Michaela, born in Sierra Leone and adopted by an American couple after losing her parents in a civil war; Joan, a 16-year-old boy who came to the US alone from Colombia; and 12-year-old Miko, of Japanese-British heritage living in California, along with his 10-year-old brother Jules.

The camera captures not only the individual personalities and family dramas of each child but also delves into the behind-the-scenes world of the competition, documenting the tension of the auditions with unflinching detail.

The power of dreams, bestowed by the ultimate beauty of ballet. A story of family, bound by relentless passion. This is not just about those who dance; it teaches us all about the meaning of life.



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"First Position: Dreams Take Flight!"
Directed, Produced, and Edited by Beth Kargman
Distribution | Cetera/Mimosa Films
2011 / USA / 94 minutes
© First Position Films LLC