Years ago, to concentrate on her ballet career, Nadja let her son, Mario, grow up with her mother. At a party, the two—who have hardly ever met—encounter one another as strangers and feel physically attracted to each other. They develop an intense, passionate relationship beyond motherly love.

Delicately unveiling the puzzle pieces that make up its damaged protagonist, Grand Jeté walks a breathtaking tightrope between blunt shock and compassion. Warm and inviting cinematography capture a ballerina’s profound longing, even as the film builds to a coldly devastating character study.