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Having vanquished the theatrical bastions of New York, entwined his destiny with Hollywood royalty, and helmed a trailblazing rendition of Carmen, Benjamin Millepied casts aside the tapestry of the American dream to embrace the poetic allure of his French roots.
In the glamorous echelons of the entertainment world, Benjamin Millepied may be recognized by the tabloid-devouring populace as the consort of the luminescent Natalie Portman. Their paths entwined when Millepied’s choreographic wizardry breathed life into the movements of the Oscar-decorated film, Black Swan. However, Millepied’s own star had been etching its place in the celestial canopy long before, as a virtuoso principal dancer with the New York City Ballet and the progenitor of the venerated L.A. Dance Project.
Now, at the threshold of his 45th year, Millepied has cast a farewell glance at the sun-kissed boulevards of California. The luster of the Golden State had begun to wane for him, and with a yearning for the tapestry of culture that Paris unfurls, he has ushered his family back to the embrace of France. “A thirst for the cultural opulence of Paris beckoned me, while the echo of solitude loomed in Los Angeles,” confided Millepied in an interview.
Before charting his course across the Atlantic, Millepied dabbled in the realm of filmmaking, assuming the mantle of a director with his inaugural cinematic venture, “Carmen.” The film, an entrancing mélange of dance and music, draws its lifeblood from the iconic Bizet opera, transposing it into a modern-day tapestry that unfolds along the US-Mexico border. Through the haunting strains of music, it tells a poignant tale of an American soldier grappling with the vestiges of war-induced trauma who crosses paths with an immigrant, portrayed by the talented Melissa Barrera. Millepied’s vision lends a political timbre to the narrative, underscoring the travails of soldiers who return from the quagmires of unjust wars only to find themselves forsaken. Through the lens of a blossoming romance, the story eventually alights in Los Angeles, where Millepied observes, “The city’s tapestry is interwoven with the threads of immigration.”
Despite his illustrious sojourn in the United States and an albeit turbulent interlude as the director of dance with the Paris Opera, Millepied opines that the fertile cultural landscape of France offers more fertile ground for artistic endeavors. “To cultivate a cultural dream in the United States is akin to navigating a labyrinth. In France, the horizon is unbounded, and resources to chase one’s dreams are within arm’s reach,” he reflects.
However, Millepied’s astute gaze discerns an element of exclusivity permeating French society, which he contends through his nascent initiative, the Paris Dance Project. This brainchild of his is envisioned as a crucible to nurture young, burgeoning talent in the suburbs of Paris, an area often regarded with condescension by Parisian society. Millepied observes, “A plethora of myths shroud the suburbs.” He candidly points out, “Despite Paris’s aura of openness, it can, at times, be ensconced in cliques. The audiences, especially for dance, remain static.”
Millepied’s return heralds not just the homecoming of an artist but a vision that seeks to redefine the cultural mosaic through the medium of dance and cinematic storytelling.
Millepied casts a discerning eye over the cultural milieu and observes with trepidation the dwindling coffers allotted to cultural institutions. This state of affairs, he affirms, necessitates the genesis of innovative organizations that can deftly circumnavigate these constraints to foster opportunities. “As the allocations to cultural sanctuaries wane, the onus is upon us to birth new entities endowed with agility and creativity,” he elucidates.
Delving into the recesses of his personal life, Millepied’s role as a progenitor forms a cornerstone of his motivations. Sharing his hearth and lineage with Portman, he is a father to two saplings, and this paternal tapestry weaves into his vision for a world steeped in living art. In an epoch where the clarion calls proclaim technology as the harbinger of a utopian future, Millepied places his faith in the transformative power of art.
“Art is the lodestar in this cacophony,” he reflects. “The struggle is palpable. As a father, I stand at the crossroads, peering into the abyss and the stars, pondering the experiences that I shall bequeath to my offspring. We are precariously poised on the cusp of a seismic shift.”
With an unwavering spirit, Benjamin Millepied charts his course in a world where the shifting sands of culture and technology entwine. His vision—a tapestry of heritage, creativity, and paternal devotion—is a clarion call for a renaissance rooted in the living arts, beckoning the world to find solace and awakening in the embrace of culture.
With AFP