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One of the highlights of the Palm Springs Film Festival was Joachim A. Lang’s beautiful German film “John Cranko.”

The film follows South African-born Clanco (played by Samuraily), who arrived in Stuttgart, Germany in 1960, and after a very public scandal, he became a guest choreographer for a city ballet company.

In a relaxed city of Stuttgart, Clanco is able to find a shelter from his past, and is accepted despite his unique lifestyle. He quickly rose to his feet and became a favorite of the ballet director and audience, completely dedicated to his art and vibrant social life. He engages in problems, faces personal setbacks and deep crisis, runs his office from the theatre cafeteria and lovingly introduces his company as “his children.”

Lang’s perspective

Clanco was a complex and often manic personality, and was a fascinating mystery that captured on-screen. Beloved by his talented dancers, he was extremely passionate about ballet and creative in his artistry, but sometimes he deals with depression and severe alcohol consumption.

For many years, Lang had “intensive conversations” with Clanco’s peers and friends.

“We spoke to Marcia Haydy, the great ballerina of the 20th century. Equally famous Birgit Kayle, costume designer Jurgen Rose and ballet dancer Vladimir Cross,” Lang told the Los Angeles Blade. “And in particular, ballet dancers Reed Anderson and the administrator of Stuttgart Ballet and the rights holder of John Cranco’s ballet, Dieter Graef.

Many of them sadly died somewhere in the Atlantic between America and Europe in 1973, on a flight from his ballet company guest performance in New York at the age of 45.

For Lang, the biggest challenge was to realize his goal of making one of his first “real” ballet films.

“A film about this art – this film wants to be more than a biography. It’s an attempt to capture the soul of dance by portraying the life and work of this genius. It’s a film about art and reality. It’s the time we’ve left, and it drives us.

Riley’s depiction

The film delves into the delicate nature of a lonely, vulnerable soul looking for love and recognition. Known for her fascinating role in “Control,” Riley played Ian Curtis from Joy Division, and no wonder she played “Rebecca” and “Maleficent.”

“Sam Riley is one of the best actors,” admitted Lang. “I knew right away that only he could do it well. I sent him the script. We met for an hour at a hotel in Berlin. It was clear that we belonged together. He was a world class.

With so many archival footage, Riley was able to immerse herself in the characters.

“There’s so much material with John. (Stuttgart) Ballet had an archive of things, so I got his old performances along with the original cast, and there was a lot of footage of him at his job.

“Ballet is so universal,” so Riley really hopes that the film will work outside of Germany.

“The most inspiration for being in the film was something I really didn’t expect. I think I grew up with an unconscious bias towards ballet, like many.

However, what touched Riley’s heart was watching the young dancers rehearse.

“It’s beautiful because they were little kids and realize that they are dedicated to this form of art, the effort they put in it every day, the work ethic and the pure dedication to something, something that still exists today… They drive me every day.