This documentary offers an inside look into the Helicon Ball and the St. Stephen's Ball, the largest of their kind in all of North America, which were both started forty-six years ago. These balls were inspired by Budapest... more »'s Opera Ball, which began in 1886. They offer a way of holding onto an important tradition cherished by the members of numerous Hungarian communities, that spread all over the North American continent. Hundreds of guests travel to Toronto and Montreal each year from the world over to relive the grandeur of this belle époque. Today, two-thirds of these guests aren?t even of Hungarian origin, which illustrates the popularity of these debutant balls amongst other North American cultures. Debutantes come from various backgrounds such as Polish, Chinese, Italian, French, Scottish and many others. They see the event as a way to learn a long-forgotten art: "The preparations for tonight have taught me how to be a lady? it has been an unforgettable evening. I feel like Cinderella," explained one debutante. This documentary film provides snapshots of these informal preliminaries, as well as capturing the formal pageantry of the ball itself.« less