Tober Heymann's documentary covers the life and lucky times of Ohad Naharin, from his youth as an entertainer in the Israeli army, to the series of breaks that helped him make it as a dancer in New York, to his canny rise as a choreographer for his own company, to his eventual glorious homecoming as artistic director of the Batsheva Dance Company. But of course, it isn't all luck: throughout, it seems clear that only a monster of will could make manifest such a challenging vision. And even when that will triumphs, there's still the monster part to reckon with: lord of the dance Naharin isn't cruel, or explosive, or even manipulative (except with regard to the body). But he does get his way, and he doesn't seem to think too much about how that might affect other people, even other people who are close to him. Guess that's art and artists for ya. Credit goes to Heymann for both his presentation of Naharin's work (which might have been tedious and/or inaccessible for the uninitiated) and character (which might have been obscured by the maestro's considerable presence and/or the writhing figures he commands). (2015) — Matthew Lickona
This movie is not currently in theaters.