Olympic Dreams

Jeremy Teicher | South/Korea/US, 2019 | English | Romantic comedy | 85m | DCP | IMDB | Distributor/Sales: SC Films International | Festival marketing sample: Denver International Film Festival 2019 | Trailer

Description: Ezra, an American dentist is volunteering his services at the Pyeong Chang 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. There he meets a competing American cross country skier, Penelope. Over the coming days their lives will be upended by their encounter.

Merits: This tender, understated, bittersweet romantic comedy was shot on location at the Olympic Village during the games and features cameos by many competitors. This lends it a powerful cinema verité feel. It is enhanced by strong performances by Nick Kroll as Ezra and real life Olympian Alexi Pappas as Penelope.

Rating: Suitable for all audiences.

Programming considerations: While this is an excellent film, the Jewish connection is somewhat tenuous. ‘Ezra’ feels very Jewish, as does ‘Penelope’, though nothing in the film is explicit on this issue. The distributor’s rush to the VOD market may undermine further festival feasibility in some markets.