In part four of our Hot Docs 2012 preview, Andrew Parker takes a look at China Heavyweight, Laura, and Ping Pong. Check back over the next few days for more previews of films playing at Hot Docs 2012.
China Heavyweight
Special Presentations
Director: Yung Chang
Up the Yangtze director Chang follows a group of young amateur boxers, coaches, and trainers as they prepare both mentally and physically for championships as China continues to re-establish their boxing program after the sport had been banned for decades.
Not really much more than a slightly above average sports documentary at a basic level with some good stories and banter, the real points of interest lie in seeing the day to day lives of the people involved as they evolve from everyday farmers in Sichuan to world class athletes.
Rating (out of five stars): ***1/2
Showing
Wednesday, May 2nd at 9:00 p.m. at the Bloor
Thursday, May 3rd at 2:00 p.m. at the TIFF Bell Lightbox
Friday, May 4th at 9:30 p.m. at the Fox
Laura
World Showcase
Director: Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa
Fascinating and stylistically evocative of a real life Fellini film, Barbosa crafts a darkly comedic and searing portrait of a divorced Brazilian-Argentine hoarder socialite who’s so brutish and delusional that it’s hard to tell if you should pity her or despise her.
Described as the “first lady” of the Manhattan hotel where she dwells, the titular character uses the documentary being made by Barbosa as a status symbol to further her sneaking into high profile press junkets and premiere parties.
As a portrait of a woman and the documentarian’s relationship to his subject, Laura stuns with its frightening look at celebrity worship gone awry. It’s like the best episode of Hoarders by way of Taxi Driver and The Cable Guy, and as unforgettable as that comparison makes it sound.
Rating (out of five stars): ****
Showing
Sunday, April 29th at 7:00 p.m. at the ROM
Tuesday, May 1st at 4:00 p.m. at the ROM
Saturday, May 5th at 4:00 p.m. at the Cumberland 2
Ping Pong
World Showcase
Director: Hugh Hartford
Despite the bland title, Ping Pong will surely become one of this year’s biggest crowd pleasers. This extraordinary tale of eight elderly professional table tennis players earns its laughs, tears, and cheers in equal amounts.
Documenting the training habits and personal lives of players from around the world aged 80 to 100 as they prepare for the world championships in China, director Hartford lets the fascinating personalities of his subjects shine through, while never creating any sense of immediate foreshadowing that makes it feel like a standard sporting doc. Anyone can lose at any time, but you wish they could all win the tournament. It’s a splendid look at how the competitive spirit never dies.
Rating (out of five stars): ****
Showing
Sunday, April 29th at 4 p.m. at the Isabel Bader Theatre
Wednesday, May 2nd at 1:30 p.m. at the Isabel Bader Theatre
Sunday, May 6th at 1:15 p.m. at the Bloor
Hot Docs 2012 runs from April 26 – May 6. For more information, and to purchase tickets, visit hotdocs.ca.
Top image: A scene from Ping Pong. Courtesy Hot Docs.
