Denis Sneguirev's documentary about Yuri Grigorovitch, The Golden Ag, takes its name from the last great ballet choreographed by Grigorovitch for the Moscow Bolshoi, which...

Denis Sneguirev's documentary about Yuri Grigorovitch, The Golden Ag, takes its name from the last great ballet choreographed by Grigorovitch for the Moscow Bolshoi, which he led from 1964 to 1995. His 31-year tenure at the healm of one of the world's most prestigious companies coincides with the golden age of soviet ballet. Adored by some, vilified by others, Grigorovitch was nicknamed the "Tsar of the Bolshoi". He created several of the iconic ballets which were to bring his troupe fame in the Soviet Union and also internationally, at a time when dance was used as a propaganda tool in the delicate political relations between the west and the east. Spectacular productions like Ivan the Terrible and Spartacus, which combined ancient epics with great national frescos, were discovered by western audiences for the first time. Grigorovitch's art was at its best in these ample narratives, where he exploited the strength and virtuosity of his dancers, who were at this time unrivaled in the west. Sneguirev's film addresses Yuri Grigorovitch directly, in the form of a letter. Interspersing interviews with artists and colleagues of Grigorovitch we look back over the career of this dancer and choreographer, which from its origins in Leningrad, and later in Moscow, would bring him international renown. The director also includes several extracts of Grigorovitch's ballets, set in context with the history of Soviet Ballet and with history in general.