Having suffered as a boy under a brutal Communist-era coach, champion Hungarian gymnast Miklos moves to Canada years later in search of a new start - only to find himself unwittingly perpetuating the very same cycle of abuse among his own pupils.
Acting
Zoltán Miklós Hajdu's controlled volatility is magnetic and terrifying.
Direction
Hajdu's handheld camera refuses to look away from cruelty.
Writing
The Canada-Hungary parallel structure is devastatingly economical.
Director
Szabolcs Hajdu
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The film deliberately contrasts 'Puma' Szabó's Stalinist-era methods with Canadian 'positive coaching,' showing how abuse mutates rather than disappears.
Real-life Olympic gymnast Kyle Shewfelt plays himself; his genuine medals authenticate the film's critique of sacrifice-for-glory.
HU
