Freedom's Fury

Aroview: Sport and politics mix in this gripping account of a hotly contested water polo semifinal between Hungary and the Soviet Union during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

With rivalry between the nations amplified in the wake of Hungary’s oppression under Soviet rule, fireworks ensued, with the Hungarians famously taking it to the Ruskies through violent tactics and all-out aggression. As a document of fervent nationalism and political uprising – in a sporting context, at least – this is stirring stuff, if somewhat unremarkable as a storytelling exercise. Olympic swimming legend Mark Spitz narrates.

NZ International Film Festival 2007