THE DANCER

Russia, 2003

ASDS studios

Virtual crime, 6 series

A failed actor Andrey Shundrin, a gigolo-dancer in a nightclub, finds out that he has been chosen from the thousands of candidates for participation in the Internet game «Metropolis». An Anonymous person, introduced himself as the System Administrator, makes him a call with the notification message. This Game-totalizator is based on the principle of «death races» between the participants nicknamed the Thumbelina, the Lamer, the Skin, the Earl and the Transmission. Spectators-users gamble on the players, which fulfill their tasks and, proceeding from the results, get points, bonus or prize money. The main character is hold up with this diversion, he gets on the hook and, nicknamed the Dancer, becomes the active participant of the virtual reality show. In the beginning everything is getting well, his rating is going up and money on his account is continuously growing. But shortly after he receives the task to commit a murder. Now the Dancer suspects that the Game is actually the complicated criminal structure and he stands little chance of survival.

The head of this structure is personally the Administrator, the man without face, who appears in the film under different masks. The Dancer makes a conclusion that the only way to quit the Game is to destroy it from within, break its rules. Together with a young hacker nicknamed the Arrow he decides to send a challenge to the Administrator.

At the same time the Game becomes the object of interest of the IT Technologies Criminal Investigation Department.

«The Dancer» is not related to the genre of cyberpunk (science fiction film about interrelations of a man and a computer), such as «The Matrix» or «Nirvana», although some elements of this genre exist in the film (Internet as the method of the total control over a man, etc.).

The film computer design is worthy of a special notice. It varies from the minor sketches to the total shot modeling – in some series almost a quarter of image has been done by a computer. The authors of the film aimed at creating the illusion of two worlds interosculation, as in minds of the characters their real life and their existence beyond its bounds, on that side of the screen or monitor, were mixed up. This mixture of reality and the virtual world in one shot is unique for the film production.

Dmitry Svetozarov – «I am not going to compare «The Dancer» with «The Matrix», since «The Matrix» is the high-budget film. We don’t try to compete with the American producers in this matter, because we know that we shall loose. We endeavour to make the film interesting due to the acting and genre discoveries. For me «The Dancer» is, first of all, the brilliant performance, especially the duet of the main characters – Boris Khvoshnyansky and Julia Sharikova first playing opposite in the film. The second splendid duet is Andrey Zibrov and Anna Geller. Zibrov’s character is the IT specialist, Anna is his beloved. Rudolph Furmanov plays nine parts – from the System Administrator to the train conductor, from the toreador to the Prince of Darkness.

There are many brilliant actors involved in the film – Alexander Lykov has created the image of the failed theatre director; Yury Galtsev has played the part of the theatre administrator; Semen Furman has been the main figure of crowd scenes».

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• CREW
• CAST