An American, a Japanese, a Canadian, a French and a Brazilian dancer work in very different Russian cities. The world around them collapses for reasons beyond their control, and they must make the hardest choice of their lives—one that determines not only their career, but their destiny.

Our creative duo was born years ago: two full-time working mothers who believe in “audience-led” documentaries and want to give voice to the widest range of protagonists. In the film, ballet is the backdrop, but behind the curtain are stories of people from six countries, forced to make decisions that shape not only a career but a destiny, while the world around them collapses for reasons beyond their control. We chose an approach grounded in truth: letting the protagonists speak, combining in-depth interviews with observation, working handheld as close to bodies as possible (to “feel” effort and breath), and building visual metaphors without staging. Our own path is crossed by the same theme: choosing between creative ambition and the “quiet path,” between staying and leaving. We wanted a film that could be felt together—surprise, empathy, reflection—because perhaps, by looking into lives so exposed to uncertainty, it becomes a little easier to navigate our own.