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Grace Lang, HKAF's program director, contends that the film version carries a sense of the scale on which the live ballet is mounted. "The production — designed for the stage of the Opéra Bastille — is huge," she says. "We've been wanting to bring this version to Hong Kong. However, the setting of this ballet is too big for any of the city's venues, so we won't be able to see this on stage in Hong Kong in any case."

Another advantage of the film version is the chance to see the dancers' expressions and footwork up close. As Lang explains, étoile (star dancer) Myriam Ould-Braham is as renowned for the depth of emotion she brings to the character of Juliet as for her technique. She learned her role from élisabeth Maurin, who was herself handpicked by Rudolf Nureyev, when the legendary dancer-choreographer created the work.