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Faraut's (John McEnroe: In The Realm of Perfection) ferociously innovative and visually stunning The Witches of the Orient tells the tale of the Japanese women's volleyball team's thrilling rise, unbelievable 258 games winning streak, and eventual Olympic gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. United by their jobs in a textile factory, the Japanese women's volleyball team chased absolute perfection under the guidance of their grueling coach Hirofumi Daimatsu. His methods were so tough that in Japan, he was known as "the Demon," with his intense, endless practice sessions, shaping the team into a force to be reckoned with. While the west viewed Japan as an alien upstart in the postwar years, it didn't prevent the team from striking fear in the hearts of their competitors, earning them the racist and dismissive moniker "oriental witches." Less an underdog tale than a saga of overwhelming determination that simultaneously subverts and feeds an orientalized mystique, The Witches of the Orient conjures the tenor and tone of the team's grip on the imagination of an entire nation seeking renewal and acceptance on the world stage of the post-war era. Faraut's sparkling documentary uses fantastic manga and anime sequences, such as Attack no 1 (1968), with archival footage of blood-curdling matches, intense training sessions (driven by rhythmic editing and great music from French musician K-Raw) with testimony from the now-octogenarian teammates. The result charts the Witches' meteoric rise without losing their overwhelmingly vital spirit.

Media

Watch trailer »

Bonus Materials

• Q&A with Director Julian Faraut

Sales Points

• Rare combination of inspirational sports documentary and celebration of Asian culture
• Women in Sports is an underserved subject in film and this is one of the best

Press Quotes

This documentary elegantly restores the glow of legend, saving the champions the trouble of having to explain their heroism in words.

     — Teo Bugbee, New York Times

In a sense, these 'Witches' did have powers, but the kind earned through rigor, pressure and skill, and celebrated in a victory that's one of the most watched televised events in their nation's history.

     —Los Angeles Times, Robert Abele

Faraut and co-editor Andrei Bogdanov create mythologies of motion and power out of the arc of a ball through the air or the jackknife action behind a winning spike.

     —Jessica Kiang, Variety

The Witches of the Orient goes much deeper than just showing the footage.

     —Jaime Grijalba Gomez, Screen Anarchy

Unorthodox and exciting, The Witches of the Orient is definitely one of the most interesting sports films in recent memory.

     —Sean Boelman, disappointment media

Riveting, well-produced, and intriguing from start to finish. Highly Recommended.

     —K. Hench, The Sound View