The Game of Tao is an 11-minute Dutch documentary short directed by Esther Pardijs. It explores elite sport through a philosophical lens, drawing on Taoism to reflect on behavioural and cultural patterns related to athletic performance.
The documentary focuses on table tennis, with Bettine Vriesekoop, former world champion and now trainer and coach, as its protagonist. After experiencing the darker aspects of elite sport herself, Vriesekoop proposes a new approach based on balance, rhythm and rest—central elements of Taoist thought.
Through her experience and the film's visual narrative, the champion invites reflection not only on how sport is practised at high levels, but also on our performance-driven society and the constant pressure to “keep all the balls in the air”, both in sport and daily life.
The film is an ideal sequel to Pardijs's earlier work, TURN!, which brought public attention to physically and mentally transgressive behaviour in Dutch sport and arts environments. While TURN! opened a discussion about “what not to do”, The Game of Tao instead seeks to answer: “how can things be done differently?”.
Produced by Jeffrey van Nijnatten, the documentary was completed on 9 December 2024 in the Netherlands, where it also premiered. It is neither a student project nor the director's first film.
Film Details
Title: The Game of Tao
Original title: Het Spel van Tao
Director: Esther Pardijs
Production: Jeffrey van Nijnatten
Country: Netherlands
Language: Dutch
Running time: 11 minutes
Genre: Documentary
Sport featured: Table tennis
Protagonist(s): Bettine Vriesekoop
Completion date: 9 December 2024
Premiere: Netherlands, 2024
Distributor: [Not specified]
Shooting format: Digital 4K, 16:9, colour
Director's first film: No
Student project: No