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Not human, but athlete

Book review written by Margareta Hruza
Over the limit
Regissør: Marta Prus
(Polen/Tyskland/Finland)

Variety called this documentary about a young Russian gymnast the "sports documentary The Black Swan". 

Over the limit had its premiere at IDFA and immediately received a lot of attention from both the audience and critics. The film deserves cinema distribution, and considering the reviews of Hollywood Reporter and Variety, the film should have been a possible Oscar candidate.

Athlete Portrait. This is a finely polished film in which all elements meet the same goal of getting as close as possible to the protagonist Margarita Mamun, a participant in the Russian team in rhythmic gymnastics. Variety called the movie the "sports documentary The Black Swan».

Over the limit is an intense portrait of a young, vulnerable woman and her physical and mental trials in the fight for perfectionism and reaching the goal of joining the Summer Olympics 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. Margarita is in a continuous competitive situation against her own team-mate Yana Kudryavtseva, and the two performers' performances are set against each other from the first scene and right to the final scene.

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Beauty. In a clean, observant style and with a beautiful camera craft performed by photographer Adam Suzin, we follow the film's main character at all hours of the day. It's as if the camera is Margarita's only friend, without ever turning around. . .

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Margareta Hruza
Hruza is a Czech / Norwegian filmmaker and regular critic of Ny Tid.

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Full 100-page MODERN TIMES including the appendix Orientering and Modern Times Review comes out quarterly (March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1) with international book reviews, essays and comments – in addition to the physical newspaper and PDF, the articles are eventually published online here (see also the newsletter).

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