First Position

Adopting a similar format to 2002's spelling bee doc Spellbound, First Position is a gripping documentary that follows seven children between the ages of ten and seventeen as they prepare for, and compete in, the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition. The filmmakers are unobtrusive; voice-over is kept to a minimum, allowing the children and their talents to largely speak for themselves, while a classical score accompanies both the routines and the preparation.

The entrants at the centre of Bess Kargman's documentary are diverse in their backgrounds – from a pampered blonde, to a foster child from war-torn Sierra Leone, to a teenage boy from Columbia, each have their own challenges to face. Most impressive, however, is the dancing; the enormous toll it takes on these young bodies, and the dogged determination and dedication each contestant has. First Position will appeal to more than just ballet aficionados – fast-paced and fascinating, it reveals just how difficult it is to make something look utterly effortless. [Becky Bartlett]