SILVER

Bernhard Braunstein's documentary takes viewers inside the Stams ski boarding school in Austria's Tyrolean Alps, to show a year in the life of the residents there. Young teenagers, the students harbor hopes of one day competing at an elite level as skiers and snowboarders, with Olympic glory the ultimate dream. The rigorous training and nonstop competition is physically demanding, with injuries a constant threat. In unguarded moments, students discuss their fears and doubts about life outside of skiing and whether the thing they used to love is even fun anymore. Braunstein's closely observed documentary reveals the institutional mechanisms used to develop elite athletic talent, while leaving plenty of room to question what physical and mental costs might accrue along the way. DIR/SCR Bernhard Braunstein; SCR/PROD Lixi Frank; PROD David Bohun. Austria, 2023, color, 97 min. In German with English subtitles. NOT RATED

No AFI Member passes accepted.