The Witches of the Orient: dir Julien Faraut (2021)

Just how did a group of humble factory workers become a phenomenal sports success story and the pride of an entire nation? Julien Faraut’s technically innovative and visually stunning documentary tells the tale of the Japanese women’s volleyball team’s journey to Olympic gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics – the culmination of a 258-game winning streak, which won them the nickname the ‘Witches of the Orient’ because of their seemingly supernatural performance on the court. From the formation of the squad in the late 1950s as a worker’s team at a textile factory, right up until their triumph in the Olympics, the memories and true magic from long ago bubble up into a heady brew where fact and fable fly hand in hand …

This screening in the Culturist Film Club series is hosted by Hind Mezaina, founder of The Culturist blog. It’s in Japanese with English subtitles, and the price quoted is for the general public; it’s free to AF members.