Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil Le Clercq

Afternoon of a Faun, which was an Official Selection of the New York Film Festival and Berlin Film Festival, will make its DVD debut on June 24th with a SRP of $29.95.

Acclaimed arts and culture biography series American Masters presents the film's national broadcast premiere Friday, June 20, 10-11:30 p.m. on PBS (check local listings, New York metro area at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN).

The film will also be released digitally on June 20th on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, other fine services. It will also be available on Netflix day and date with the DVD release.

A brilliant dancer, muse to such greats as Jerome Robbins and George Balanchine, Tanaquil Le Clercq possessed an extraordinary and unique talent that brought her to the heights of stardom before her career was cut tragically short by polio. In Afternoon of a Faun, director Nancy Buirski explores the remarkable story of this ballet legend, told with vivid recollections by other luminaries of the ballet world who knew and worked with Le Clercq, including Jacques d'Amboise, Arthur Mitchell, Barbara Horgan, and others.

"Tanny was the nexus of inspiration, beauty and invention, suddenly turned into a statistic. I wanted to treat her dramatic experience as poetry and create an intimate film that captured this mood," said writer, director and producer Nancy Buirski. "I'm thrilled Tanny will join Balanchine and Robbins – the men she inspired – as 'American Masters.'" 

"I'm eager for our viewers to discover Tanny and her inspiring life story," said Michael Kantor, executive producer of American Masters. "Films like Nancy's are what make the series unique. Masters are not just the names you know, but the creators, performers and industry titans who leave an indelible impact on our culture."

SYNOPSIS: 
In Afternoon of a Faun, critically acclaimed Peabody and Emmy-award winner director-producer Nancy Buirski (The Loving Story) brings to the screen the magnificent and tragic story of Tanaquil Le Clercq. 

Of the great ballerinas, Le Clercq may have been the most transcendent, mesmerizing viewers and choreographers alike. Because of her extraordinary movement and unique personality on stage, she became a muse to two of the greatest choreographers in dance, George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins. She had love, fame, adoration, and was the foremost dancer of her day until it suddenly all  stopped. 

At the age of 27, she was struck down by polio and paralyzed. She never danced again. The ballet world has been haunted by her story ever since. With a soul-stirring soundtrack and exquisite visuals, this is a story of how one woman passionately influenced an entire art form. Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil Le Clercq is a frighteningly real, gracefully candid portrait of an artist. Rarely has a film revealed such a dramatic experience on such an intimate scale.

For more information on Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil Le Clercq, or to request a press screener copy for review, please contact Matt Barry at mbarry@kinolorber.com.

Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil Le Clercq

Director: Nancy Buirski

Genre: Documentary

DVD Street Date: June 24, 2014

DVD SRP: $29.95

UPC: 738329131425

US * 2014 * 91 Min. * Color/B&W * 1.78:1 * 5.1 Surround

AUGUSTA FILMS in association with STEEPLECHASE FILMS presents 
AFTERNOON OF A FAUN: TANAQUIL LE CLERCQ a co-production with AMERICAN MASTERS produced by NANCY BUIRSKI RIC BURNS executive producers DEREK BRITT KRYSANNE KATSOOLIS SUSAN LACY producers PAOLA FRECCERO BONNIE LAFAVE ALYSA NAHMIAS project advisor MARTIN SCORSESE special consultant BARBARA HORGAN associate producer KATIE O'ROURKE post production supervisor JESSICA WOLFSON director of photography RICK RODGERS edited by DAMIAN RODRIGUEZ written and directed by NANCY BUIRSKI

The film is a production of Augusta Films in association with Steeplechase films and THIRTEEN Productions LLC's American Masters for WNET.

Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil Le Clercq – Official Trailer

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