Grandson of a slave and the son of a lorry driver the story of the rebellious boy who defied the odds to become the first black principle ballet dancer to perform at the Royal Ballet in London. Nicknamed Yuli by his father, Carlos’ irreverence is no match for his father’s determination to see his son forge a career and fulfill a destiny. This stunningly choreographed film symbiotically combines narrative and dance to amplify the emotional tone delivering a rich, inspiration film which is the true definition of a rags to riches story.

Join Premiere Scene’s Claire Bueno as she interviews Carlos Acosta as she asks him about a film that very much felt like an acknowledgment and tribute to his father Pedro Acosta (Santiago Alfonso). We ask about the power of dance and why it is that we can sometimes we say more through movement than words. And how did he deal with the demanding scenes required of him as he portrayed his father through dance.

Join Premiere Scene’s Claire Bueno as she interviews writer Paul Laverty and director Icíar Bollaín as she asks them about a film how they first became acquainted with the Carlos Acosta story, striking the balance when telling the story between narrative and dance and how mindful they had to be when directing charged dance scenes what were emotionally and physically demanding.