AFTERNOON OF A FAUN:
TANAQUIL LE CLERCQ
Tanaquil Le Clercq, known to all as "Tanny," was the inspiration and then the wife of one of the greatest geniuses in the history of dance, George Balanchine, and she also sparked the creative imagination of Jerome Robbins. In 1954, at the height of her fame, she was struck down by polio. Nancy Buirski’s radiant film finds a tone to match Tanny’s exquisite dancing and long, lovely physique, well represented in photos, home movies and kinescopes. In addition to being a rich and compelling story of a dancer who can no longer dance and a muse who can no longer inspire, Buirski’s movie is also a vivid portrayal of a world and a time gone by. In addition to the breathtaking photos and archival footage, Afternoon of a Faun also features interviews with those who knew Tanny, including Jacques D’Amboise and Arthur Mitchell.
2013 / 87 minutes
Official Website
Directed & Produced by Nancy Buirski
Produced by Ric Burns, Paola Freccero, Bonnie Lafave, and Alysa Nahmias
Executive Produced by: Derek Britt, Krysanne Katsoolis, and Susan Lacy
An Augusta Films Production, in association with Steeplechase Films, and co-produced by American Masters for PBS. Distributed by Kino Lorber.
Festivals and Awards
New York Film Festival - 2013 World Premiere
Berlinale - 2013 European Premiere
