Recent Documentary Viewing, Part 2
Kim Longinotto and Marc Isaacs are two English documentarians whose subjects differ widely, but who share a fascination for the small details of people’s […]
Review: Gaea Girls (2000)
Director: Jano Williams
Cast: Chigusa Nagayo, Meiko Satomura, Yuka Sugiyama, Saika Takeuchi, Hisako Sasaki,
Chigusa Nagayo
Meiko Satomura
Yuka Sugiyama
Saika Takeuchi
Hisako Sasaki
Plot: This fascinating documentary is based around the Japanese wrestling organisation Gaea's rural training camp, and traces, in the main, the careers of four hopefuls. In charge are two magnificent specimens, the butch champion Chigusa Nagaya, still venting her hurt at the hands of her army father as she tries to whip her surrogate daughters through the pain and commitment barriers; and her sophisticated and slightly menacing Chairman. It's a gruelling, physical film, as you would expect, but the makers don't make heavy weather of it. And it certainly disposes of any idea that the game is faked.
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