Clearly influenced by Bud Greenspan's humanist approach to Olympic documentaries, this film follows the fortunes of six athletes aspiring to reach the Olympics and gain... a medal. The first half of the documentary describes the background of the athletes, their preparatory training, and, in the case of two of them, the thrill of mounting the podium. Each is interviewed at length in their home countries of Afghanistan, Austria, Ghana, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. One of the most remarkable facets of this Winter Games is the bonding between women from North and South Korea to create a combined ice hockey team, even in the shadow of armed tension between the two countries.

Yi Seung-Jun | 2018 | 101'