White Palms*

Directed by: Szabolcs Hajdu

Having suffered as a boy under a brutal Communist-era coach, champion Hungarian gymnast Miklos moves to Canada years later in search of a new start – only to find himself unwittingly perpetuating the very same cycle of abuse among his own pupils. Redemption appears in the unlikely form of Kyle, a troubled, young Canadian teen with the potential to become a world champion. The friendship and rivalry between teacher and student – each played by actual gymnasts (one, Kyle Shewfelt, an Olympic medallist) – forms the basis of this gripping, resonant sports drama. Beautifully shot and edited, effortlessly evoking its respective time-periods, and through them, the clash of different cultures and values, WHITE PALMS made its international premiere in Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes 2006 and was the official Hungarian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award®.

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