Playing Men

At a time when men are under fire globally, this irresistible film provides a breath of fresh air. It’s about playing, about the beauty of the game and the men that play it. They play, deadly seriously, yet with airy joy somewhere by the Mediterranean. Wrestling, rolling a cheese through village streets or the rapid-fire reciting of the right numbers are occupations of the highest importance. Matjaž Ivanišin shot everything with serious lightness until he hit a creative block. Reconstructing a recent sporting event, Croat Goran Ivanišević’s win at Wimbledon in 2001, put his project back on track. That’s how a game should be played, won and celebrated. (International Film Festival Rotterdam)