Headwinds
Manuel Camia
Official selection
Ronit Cohen’s documentary meets swimmer Elay Chayot and follows his journey towards the world ice-swimming championships.
- Director
- Ronit Cohen
- Country
- Israel
- Running time
- 00:06:51
Elay Chayot prepares to enter the freezing water at Molveno. The Israeli athlete has travelled to Italy for the world ice-swimming championships: Ronit Cohen’s Back to the Edge follows his preparation for a 250-metre event and the path that brought him there.
In the film, Chayot recalls an accident during military training, the paralysis that followed and years devoted to rehabilitation. His voice accompanies photographs and images from the present: the past returns through the protagonist’s memories and choices rather than being treated as a separate contest.
Preparation and entry into the water place a concrete sporting act at the centre, while the conversation opens onto everyday independence and his relationship with his body. In approximately seven minutes, the documentary connects the challenge in the lake with the life that continues around it.
