FREEDOM'S FURY
**** out of *****

Reviewed by Tobias

Screening in the 2007 New Zealand International Film Festival
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Genres
Commies
Documentary
Sports

2006
Written and Directed by
Colin Keith Gray
Megan Raney

Freedom's Fury revolves around the Hungarian water polo team, those Soviet Russians and a semi-final that took place at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics dubbed the 'bloodiest game in history'. The moniker originates from an electric semi-final water polo match that pitted the Hungarian team fatefully against the Russian team taking place at the same time as Hungary's revolution against the Soviet Union. The match becomes sensationalised after one Russian opponent's misplaced fist lands squarely on a Hungarian player and bloodies the water. It was a match that many took as reflective of the situation back home in Hungary. This documentary is not only about that confrontation but the events leading up to the competition and interviews players from both sides along with some of the people that were alongside those fighting to free their nation from Russian oppression.

You might be surprised to find yourself amongst the first of us all whom have been quietly awaiting a documentary on water polo with unabated enthusiasm. On the other hand, you would be forgiven for not immediately booking your tickets to the next screening of Freedom's Fury. I'm certainly not insinuating the sport is uninteresting but I won't lie to you either: if it were not for strong persuasion of my superiors for me to review it, this documentary would have easily slipped right past my festival selections. Doubly so as I am not a sportsman nor historian. It is only after watching it, however, that one gains a unprecedented respect for water polo players and their commitment to such a demanding sport (swimming around in an Olympic pool without touching the bottom is no mean feat!). But at the core of Freedom's Fury, and what makes the film so interesting, is how it often feels like a good drama more than a simple documentary.

The story has the major storyline components that you would find in any blockbuster; a build-up where the Olympians are introduced and the background of the current political regime in place is fleshed out. Peaceful protests originally consisting of students then escalating into ad-hoc armies of thousands of armed civilians. And as events unfold, concern for the nation-trapped Hungarian team also grows – uncertain of whether they will be able to attend let alone achieve gold victory in the Olympic games. But lo, when they finally arrive and begin ascending the ladder towards the finals, who do they face in the semi-finals but none other than Russia themselves! (The clichéd tag line, “Now it's personal”, immediately springs to mind.) Not spoiling too much (One of the teams wins gold) the bloody game concluded and the Hungarians all part their separate ways. The journey comes to an end in the present in 2006 where a heartfelt reunion takes place between not only the separated Hungarians but the Russians all join in as well.

Freedom's Fury is written and directed by brother and sister duo Colin Gray and Megan Aarons – collectively known as 'The Sibs'. Their efforts to combine both historical and sporting elements represents thorough research into both subjects. All of the players interviewed speak with such passion about their sport that viewers are swept away with it too. Undoubtedly the most charismatic is Ervin Zardor, the youngest of the Hungarian team and to this day remains just as head-strong and cheeky. He also happened to be the receiver of the aforementioned punch during that 'bloody game'. But while the majority of interviews are conducted with the water polo players, it is the historical elements that stand out. One of the interviewees is Judith Gyenes – the wife of Hungarian General Pal Maleter, whom speaks about her husband's duties up to his execution in 1958 for charges of attempting to overthrow the Hungarian People's Republic and while they describe their experiences, archival footage is shown depicting the protest marches, the Olympic water polo and snippets of the team's training.

Arguably, narration is a key element in the documentary genre – take for instance March of the Penguins. While I mean no disrespect to the great Morgan Freeman, you cannot deny that he is no penguin (But by the same token, I assume the mammals themselves are not accomplished orators either). The point is, while the disembodied voice of Mark Spitz had a rather minor career in show business back in the 70s, he is a record-holding Olympian. Drawing on this enables him to deliver narration that sounds genuine and his links to the world of water polo are reinforced by his childhood of swim-coaching from none other than Ervin Zardor as well as playing the sport in High School. While there are no mentions of Spitz's own personal achievements (ignoring the blurb in the end credits), his speech implies familiarity with the sport. So while I do not rank myself as a scholar of documentaries, I have seen my share with relatively un-enthused readers grumbling away exposing their scripted nature in comparison to Spitz's narration.

Freedom's Fury is remarkably interesting and if there were more documentaries out there of this calibre, I'm sure Hollywood would have to give up their day jobs churning out blockbuster films. The documentary is informative on the subject of Hungary during Soviet occupation but you will not be served well if you seek in-depth details of the sport of water polo itself other than a glimpse into the training undertaken by Hungary to become world-class. But overall Freedom's Fury is an accessible documentary regardless of sporting or history inclination and even though I found the initial ten minutes of Freedom's Fury tough to commit to, the film soon becomes engaging, rewarding the viewer with a rich insight into the people of Hungary during the time of revolution and lands itself four out of five.

This film's Wellington run is currently finished. Please refer to the Film Fest homepage for more information on screenings in other parts of the country

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