LITTLE MISS SUMO
UNITED KINGDOM — JAPAN 18 MIN, 2018
RUSSIAN PREMIERE
APRIL 5, 17:00
MOSCOW, CINEMA OCTOBER
ABOUT
Female sumo wrestling champion Hiyori confronts obstacles both inside and outside the ring in an attempt to change Japan's national sport forever. Banned from competing professionally Hiyori will have to retire at the age of 21. Simultaneously juggling newfound revelations whilst preparing for the biggest tournament of her life, Hiyori is forced to question the reason females are forbidden from professional wrestling and why most women retire early. She has the drive and ambition, but is that going to be enough to succeed in a country and sport that is overwhelmingly led by tradition and protocol?
DIRECTOR
MATT KAY
Matt is a documentary filmmaker based in London. He co-founded Walks Of Life Films in 2011 concentrating on producing socially conscious, character led documentaries. In the past eight years he’s directed and shot a variety of projects for broadcast, worldwide festivals and online platforms. This has taken him to shoot projects in over ten countries; whether it be in Egypt during the Arab Spring or a Brazilian favela during the World Cup. He is currently working on a feature documentary about female sumo wrestlers who are fighting to lift the ban that forbids them from entering professional rings in Japan.
OTHER FESTIVALS
- BFI London Film Festival
- British Shorts Festival Berlin
- Manchester International Film Festival
SECTION
DOKer 2019 — Short Competition