‘Tutù’ (2022) Review: A Dangerous Dance
Lorenzo Tiberia’s Tutù follows Ester (Sofia D’Elia), a young ballerina who deals with the death of her close friend, Maria (Giada Palmitessa). It’s a gut-wrenching and powerful short movie that explores the themes of obsession, mental health, body image and grief. The story is told through the perspective of a young girl who must honour her friend’s death while following an intense diet and a costume that becomes incredibly dangerous for her.
After the death of Maria, her mother donates her daughter’s tutu to the dance academy to honour her memory. Ester, who looks at her friend as the ideal of beauty and elegance due to her incredible talent as a ballerina, becomes obsessed with the costume. Ester wants to follow in her friend’s footsteps. She desperately wants to wear Maria’s costume, a black and white tutu, which is kept in a glass box. Ester begins to follow a strict diet and keeps track of her weight, and in the process of her newfound obsession, she puts her health at risk and pushes her family away.
Tutù provides haunting visuals and great performances by the lead actor. D’Elia’s strong performance in portraying a young girl who deals with the death of her close friend stands out. The plot might be similar to Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan but the story has its own way of exploring the difficult themes of health issues and the dietary restrictions on young ballerinas. Ester loses herself in the process to become the next Maria — the symbol of beauty and talent, who tragically lost her life. The entire experience of watching Tutù is haunting, due to D’Elia’s performance and the themes.
