Anne Bass and Sokvannara "Sy" Sar.March 26, 2010
By Todd Eberle
Vanity Fair (USA)
Anne Bass, the New York City socialite known for her philanthropic endeavors in the ballet world, visited Cambodia on a World Monuments Fund trip in 2000. In Angkor Wat she saw a group of teenagers present a native dance and couldn't shake the performance of one of the boys from her memory. Dancing Across Borders is the Cinderella-esque documentary film Bass made about her efforts to sponsor the teenager, Sokvannara Sar (also known as "Sy," pronounced "See"), to come to the United States to learn ballet. In the process, Sy realizes the American Dream he didn't even know he had until his and Anne's paths crossed. Bass was as unacquainted with filmmaking as Sy was with ballet (he had never seen so much as an image of a ballet dancer before), and the film is even more compelling when you realize it's about two debuts, both on and off camera. In it, two new movie stars are born: Sy, who possesses matinee-idol looks, and his ballet teacher-to-the-stars, Olga Kostritsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jock Soto are but two of her former pupils).
It's not entirely clear from the film if Bass's dream for Sy has become his own, but watching his development, from being incapable of speaking English (let alone spelling "ballet") to becoming a world-class ballet dancer, in just a few years is a powerful story. When he appears at the famous Varna Dance Festival, in Bulgaria, it's moving to see him dance solo for the first time in the context of historical footage of Nureyev and Barishnikov, both of whom made their debuts in Varna.
Bass premiered the film at S.V.A. last night for two theaters full of friends and threw a party (the likes of which only she does) afterward at the Cedar Lake Studios, which Robert Isabell's office transformed into a Balinese world.
After touring nine film festivals, Dancing Across Borders starts its New York City run at the Quad today. It will premiere in Los Angeles on April 13.
It's not entirely clear from the film if Bass's dream for Sy has become his own, but watching his development, from being incapable of speaking English (let alone spelling "ballet") to becoming a world-class ballet dancer, in just a few years is a powerful story. When he appears at the famous Varna Dance Festival, in Bulgaria, it's moving to see him dance solo for the first time in the context of historical footage of Nureyev and Barishnikov, both of whom made their debuts in Varna.
Bass premiered the film at S.V.A. last night for two theaters full of friends and threw a party (the likes of which only she does) afterward at the Cedar Lake Studios, which Robert Isabell's office transformed into a Balinese world.
After touring nine film festivals, Dancing Across Borders starts its New York City run at the Quad today. It will premiere in Los Angeles on April 13.
10 comments:
lucky man!
beautiful cuple i wishthe best of luck for them na very nice
My congratulation to you, Mr. Soksovannara Sar.
It is hard to be a well know and good western ballet dancer.
Now is your time to represent us, Khmer in the world, after our former Dr. Ngo Haing Samnang (former Khmer film actor and the first asian oscar winner.)
Dude has Pong Kdor Tea Kapa!
Ok Sar,
I am very happy for your chance and opportunity to shine of your tallent...but manage them well, don't be over egoe, never forget to give respect and greatitute to people that help get you to where you are right now. If you continue to pratic respect and creatitute to thos whore are helping you...you will go a long way.
Thanks to Ms Anne Bass for be able to see a simple rock and turn it into a beautify diamond.
You sister is watching you :~)
Good luck bro, from my experience
I've been with those white girl and Spanish girl alots. But never last longer. Plus those Europe woman they're getting older faster than Asian people.
"There's no such thing as a free lunch", and "You scratch my back and I scratch yours". She got her money worth and he has to give something in return. That's the name of the show in reality.
A picture is worth a thousand words, and I can infer from it that there had been something hankypanky between them before he became a ballet star. If so, he paid so dearly a price. Fame and fortune kills the naive and the vanity like him.
Have some respect people. Sy was lucky enough to be picked up by Ms. Bass. I wish him good luck! or he would just be a nobody in our society that don't really give a sh.t about the Art and the artist.
Congratulation Mr. Sy,,, you are one in a million men!,,, lucky man!!
Hopefully, you are using your talent and opportunity to benefit larger communities of Cambodia and the world. Don't forget where you are from? and you are here, having this opportunity with a mission!!!
Thanks
Your brother!!
1:08pm,
Is that all vocabulary you knew?
No wondered you're a loser!
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