"This story's a fairy tale come true. It's magical to watch Sar, who seems as light as air but powerful as a gale-force wind. You can applaud now."
Deborah G. Guadan – San Francisco Chronicle
“In a mere 88 minutes, Dancing Across Borders tells several overlapping stories engagingly. It focuses on Sokvannara (Sy) Sar, a teenager in 2000 when he was spotted by arts philanthropist and filmmaker Anne Bass doing Cambodian folk dances near the great Khmer ruins of Angkor Wat.”
Lewis Segal - Los Angeles Times
“Boundless talent puts film step above (...) even filmgoers who aren't into dance will find this story captivating because, as much as anything, Sokvannara wants to please his audience, whether in the concert hall or the movie theater. The kid is a natural."
David Wiegand - San Francisco Chronicle
“The film is impressively honest (...) The film wonderfully mixes images of ballet training, rehearsal and performances in a saga of a young artist’s struggle and success. It’s also a personal story that deals with cross-cultural conflict and resolution.” ***Three stars
Janos Gereben - San Francisco Examiner
“Dancing Across Borders – a beautiful leap (...) Lovely, inspiring, and thought-provoking
(...)
Confirms the beauty of what you love, and the possibilities of that love conquering the world with its grace
(...)
You see the cracks in a dazzling performer’s armor, just like you do when he’s trying to partner in a corps section for PNB, and it makes you admire his determination and talent and stage glow that much more." **** Four stars… Well worth your while..
Alex Kafka - Cine Synapse
“Looks at first to be limited by its feel-good story arc. But it dances beyond that."
*** Three stars
Jeffrey Gantz – The Boston Phoenix
“Faithful readers of this journal know this sort of thing is not my usual fare, but I have to admit I found the film incredibly poignant and beautiful.”
Rus Mayer – Los Angeles times Magazine
“At its heart, Dancing Across Borders is an extraordinary story of growth, adaptation, and belonging, as well as of the development of talent and the mastery of an art form. It's also an excellent documentary by first-time director Bass.”
Scott Rice – Seattle Gay News
“This astonishing documentary charts the true story of a traditional male Cambodian dancer who comes to the United States and dazzles the ballet world with his talent, discipline, grace, and explosive leaps.”
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat – Spirituality and Practice
“Charming documentary (...) Without her recognition of his raw talent, and without her perseverance, Sy might never have been able to express himself so persuasively. In carefully edited clips from his Cambodian years (brief mention is made of Pol Pot's devastating influence), as well as later performances in the United States, Bass demonstrates his stunning leaps and graceful partnering."
*** Three stars
John Harti – The Seattle Times
“Director Anne Bass's Dancing Across Borders is a wonderful and moving documentary
(...)
From the bucolic Cambodian countryside to the competitive New York dance world, Sar’s story is that of an artist, an amazingly dedicated artist
(...)
I think Dancing Across Borders is an Oscar-worthy delight."
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders – The Huffington Post
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