MIFF NOTES: Ella (2016, Dir. Douglas Watkin)

So, gotta throw some understated shade out there... No disrespect to Indigenous dancer Ella Havelka but Douglas Watkins' documentary on her in the midst of the Australian Ballet has nothing on Thierry Demaizière and Alban Teurlai's Reset, which has been one of the highlights of the festival so far.

Then, the Australian Ballet has nothing on the Paris Opera Ballet and David McAllister has none of Benjamin Millepied's institution-shaking verve. Actually, David McAllister comes across as the complete embodiment of ballet's entrenched, patronising, bloodless structures.

Emphasis on the patronising aspect, by the way. There's little doubt of where Ella's self-doubt about her status as the first Indigenous member of the Australian Ballet comes from. McAllister, David Heathcote (the Australian Ballet's ballet master) and Watkin's documentary as a whole are extremely circumspect about Ella's position in the company. They're coquettish on why she wasn't admitted after she graduated from the Australian Ballet School ("She had a different path ahead of her") and they're wishy-washy on her future ("Whether she stays with the company is up to her").

And, if I'm perfectly frank (because I haven't been frank enough as yet), Ella's work outside of the ballet, with Bangarra Dance Theatre, and with her own choreography, is far more thrilling than the pampered rehash of 'Swan Lake' they were shopping around (though kudos to Ella for achieving a life goal).

I guess you can sense my intense frustration with Ella (the film) as well as my respect for Ella (the dancer). She's got big things ahead of her and I'm sure Watkin's serviceable documentary will give her the profile and the confidence to do it.

She just needs to find a company that can capitalise on her talents.

★★★

Ella screened as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival 2016.

You can check out other films from the festival here.