Gaea Girls
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 Nagayo, 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.
Documentary
6.4
11 reviewsRuntime: 104 min.
Budget: N/A
Revenue: N/A
Release Date: 2000-09-11
Director(s): Jano Williams, Kim Longinotto
Production: Vixen Films, United Productions, BBC
Languages: Japanese
IMDB: tt0261703
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dancingdrunkintothefuture★ 7/1012/24/2019
raw depiction of shifting cultural ideology in Japan. fascinating divulsion into the brutal world of female wrestling which i had no idea existed in Japan. Logninotto offers a stripped back view, never appearing in front of the camera nor providing voiceover - an immersive experience, placing us in the eyes and headspace of Longinotto as she wields the camera. following the journey of a newcomer, we root for the underdog. experiencing both top tier wrestling and training, we question the morality of wrestling in the 2000s which was more of an MMA crossover. not one to miss.