Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, October 14: MUDBLOODS
Farzad Nikbakht Sangari’s look at sport born from popular literary origins premiered at AFI Docs this Summer. It has also screened at Tacoma, IdeaFestival, Hot Springs, Potter Fest, and the upcoming Philadelphia, Hawaii, Gold Crest, and Napa Valley festivals. It now comes to VOD on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, and Vudu.
Sangari’s film explores the underdog sport of Quidditch – technically, I suppose, Muggles Quidditch, the real-world adaptation of the fantastical sport created by JK Rowling for her HARRY POTTER series. While earthbound, owing to the lack of functional flying Nimbus 2000s or Firebolts outside of Hogwarts, the sport has gained a passionate if still relatively small following on college campuses across the US and beyond. Embracing co-ed teams and unfazed by criticism of geekery, teams like UCLA take the game very seriously, as shown in this engaging and likable chronicle of their attempt to defeat reigning champion Middlebury College in the Quidditch World Cup. Sangari balances conventions of sports docs and fandom docs while profiling affable subjects like UCLA captain Tom, whose earnestness and determination successfully connect with audiences, whether they are Potter superfans or not.
what (not) to doc 