Red Army

Red Army

Year 2014
Runtime 85 mins
Alberta Premiere

Chronicling one of the most successful dynasties in sports history, RED ARMY holds up a mirror to the game of hockey, capturing how the Soviet Union’s Red Army hockey team became key in the Cold War, fighting out the nation’s propaganda battle on ice.

Known for a graceful style that emphasized co-operation and teamwork, the Soviet expression of the game stood in stark contrast to the individualistic style of play that the NHL embraced.

Focusing more on politics than the love of sport, the documentary uses archival footage and interviews with key figures from the era to explore the Soviet-Russian game from the 1950s to its deterioration in the 1990s.

Through the on and off ice stories, we see the rise and fall of the Red Army hockey team paralleling the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Told from the perspective of the team’s captain Slava Fetisov, the documentary portrays the player’s transformation from national hero to political enemy. Through the story of the on ice Cold War, RED ARMY captures how sport reflects social and cultural movements, and the hockey legend who stood up to the system.

Countries

United States
Festivals
Cannes Film Festival 2014, Toronto International Film Festival 2014
Director
Gabe Polsky
Executive Producer
Werner Herzog, Jerry Weintraub, Liam Satre-Meloy
Producer
Gabe Polsky
Screenwriter
Gabe Polsky