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This documentary follows eight contestants, aged 12 to
15, through the preparations for, and then the agonies and
ecstasies of, a two-day knock-out spelling competition in
Washington DC, the climax of the 1999 National Spelling
Bee contest. Blitz sets his sights wider than just the question
of who will win. It’s great drama made fascinating by the
pithy introduction to the characters in their habitats and
then the tense, teasing drama of the actual competition.
Crisp, judicious editing by Yana Gorskaya pulls all this
into beguiling shape. This is a drama as enthralling as
any fiction.
Critics
“An
hilarious and often unwatchably tense documentary.”
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
Awards
Nominated
for Best Documentary Film, Oscars 2003
Links
Official
Site
Programme Notes
The
notes for this film are available here.
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Audience
Rating
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Directed
by
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Jeff
Blitz |
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Cert |
U |
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Length |
1
hrs 38 mins. |
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Country |
US
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Language |
English |
DVD
VHS
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