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Yuli - the Carlos Acosta Story

Yuli - the Carlos Acosta Story

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Summary

Biographical dance drama starring Carlos Acosta. In early 1980s Cuba, young tearaway Carlos is enrolled in ballet school by his father, who hopes to keep the boy out of trouble. As he grows older, Carlos develops great skill and finds fame with the Royal Ballet in London, but his success comes at a price.

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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Trevor Johnston

This biopic about ground-breaking Cuban ballet star Carlos Acosta takes its title from his family nickname. As a boy from a working-class background, Acosta wasn't keen on attending ballet classes, fearing ridicule from his mates, but his lorry-driver dad insisted on him attending Havana's leading dance academy. Noted Spanish director Iciar Bollaín (Take My Eyes) takes an enterprising approach to her subject's rags-to-riches trajectory, with Acosta himself, now a top choreographer, putting together an autobiographical show recounting his memories through dance. That intercuts with more conventional dramatised highlights, with exuberant Edilson Manuel Olbera portraying Acosta during his turbulent boyhood and a more stolid Keyvin Martinez essaying his international breakthrough. To be fair, it's a slightly fragmented journey, but the onus on telling the story through movement is distinctive and effective. The highlight, though, is key archive footage of Acosta himself in his dancing prime, as the first Black Romeo to perform with London's Royal Ballet. His grace, athleticism and sheer star quality make it evident why he's worth a movie of his own.

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7.0/10

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Credits

Cast

rolenameCarlos AcostaCarlos AcostaPedro AcostaSantiago AlfonsoCarlos Acosta, as a young manKeyvin MartinezCarlos Acosta, as a boyEdilson Manuel OlberaCheryLaura de la Uz

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Crew

rolenameDirectorIciar Bollaín

Details

Theatrical distributor

Modern Films

Released on

2019-04-12

Languages

English | Spanish

Guidance

swearing and discriminatory language

Formats

Colour

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