‘Rebels on Pointe:’ Unique documentary looks at lives of men in tutus

Award-winning Montreal filmmakers Bobbi Jo and her husband Robbie Hart are at it again, with their new film, Rebels on Pointe, premiering in Montreal Friday at Cinéma du Parc.

The documentary takes a look at the New York-based, all-male dance troupe of the Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo.

According to producer Robbie Hart, the film promises to take you on a journey into the world of dance unlike any other.

“You’ll experience dance like you’ve never experienced it before and meet some amazing characters because we go into their personal lives,” he said.

The troupe has been around since the early 1970s and attracts dancers from all over the world.

“They have a cult following probably in 100 countries,” Hart said. “I mean, they’re unbelievable. They tour 40 weeks a year and the company has been doing this since 1975.”

Hart explained his wife, who directed the film, heard about the troupe when they were on tour in Montreal.

“They were at Place des Arts years ago and Bobbi saw an article about men dancing in tutus,” he said. “That right away piqued her curiosity.”

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But getting access to the troupe was a different story. In its over 40-year history, no film has ever been made about the Ballets Trockadero.

Hart admitted the artistic director showed reluctance at first.

But over time, after relationships of trust were established, what began as a six-month project eventually turned into Rebels on Pointe, four years in the making.

“We asked for permission just to work with them for six months and see where that would go and how they would feel with us,” Hart said. “It just morphed into trust which is the basis to all documentary film-making.”

Although dance is a central theme, the story explores many other important topics.

“It’s such an amazing story and such an important story, because it’s a story about gender diversity, about gay emancipation, about just being yourself.”

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What makes the story unique though is the humour with which the dancers tackle tough subjects and make dance accessible to all.

“They’re men dressed as women so there is this wonderful transformation going on and they also make ballet — which is a very classical art form –super accessible, entertaining and fun for all ages,” Hart said.