CBC, The National Ballet of Canada and leading producer Shaftesbury today announced the start of production on a new one-hour special presentation for CBC Television, Romeos & Juliets. Written, directed and produced by one of Canada's foremost directors of performance-based films, Moze Mossanen (Nureyev), the documentary focuses on the world premiere of Romeo and Juliet in the studios of the National Ballet. The new production is set to the beloved score of Sergei Prokofiev and choreographed by Alexei Ratmansky, hailed by the New York Times as "the most in-demand ballet choreographer in the world." Romeos & Juliets is shooting in Toronto until December 2024 and will air on CBC Television in spring 2024.
"CBC is honoured to help commemorate the National Ballet's remarkable 60th Anniversary by bringing their reinvented masterpiece of Romeo and Juliet to Canadian audiences," said Kirstine Stewart, Executive Vice-President, English Services, CBC. "We're delighted to be working alongside our talented production partners, Moze Mossanen and Shaftesbury, and we look forward to sharing this television event with Canadians this spring."
"Romeos & Juliets will immerse audiences in the creative process of a celebrated choreographer working with both established and upcoming dancers as the legendary lead couple," said Mossanen. "The documentary will allow audiences a rare behind-the-scenes look at the dancers as they push themselves to the limits of their abilities in order to make their mark in these expressive roles."
Romeos & Juliets is an exploration of the process by which the remarkable new National Ballet production of Romeo and Juliet winds its way from rehearsals to opening night. The special follows the dancers' highly charged paths, both inside and outside the studio, and chronicles their emotional journey as they toil to fulfill the high expectations demanded of them. In the end, as opening night arrives, their efforts are realized in a suite of spectacular dances staged especially for the camera.
Romeos & Juliets is written, directed and produced by Mossanen, a prolific writer, director and producer whose work has encompassed striking adaptations of classic novels (Year of the Lion) and original screenplays (The Rings of Saturn). Most recently, Mossanen directed Roxana (2006), which won two Gemini Awards, and Nureyev (2009), which was nominated for six Gemini Awards, winning two for Best Direction and Best Cinematography in a Performing Arts Program.
Romeos & Juliets is produced by Shaftesbury in association with CBC, and with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, The Canadian Film or Video Tax Credit and The Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit. The documentary is executive produced by Christina Jennings and Scott Garvie, with Jan Peter Meyboom serving as supervising producer. The documentary will be distributed internationally by Shaftesbury Sales Company.