Accelerating the Learning Curve in the Rookie Season

ROOKIE SEASON

GENRE: DOCUMENTARY

SYNOPSIS: "Rookie Season" straps the viewer firmly into the driver's seat as it follows the highs and lows of Rebel Rock Racing during their inaugural IMSA season. A deeply moving portrait of the pursuit of one's dream.

DIRECTED & FILMED BY ADRIAN BONVENTO

WHAT THIS MOVIE DOES WELL: It brings you up into the action but given the often frenetic and tumultuous atmosphere a race day event can cause you can't help but be awed by how incredibly close in proximity you are to the action. Often feeling like one of the crew even. 

Adrian's "insider" approach almost has this weird and unique calming to the chaos that not only engages you and your every sense but it brings you in. 

By doing so, what you may have not understood 5 minutes in, by the mid way point you are feeling almost like a super fan dare say expert, if not at least a well informed novice. 

The other interesting dynamic that happens is the trust factor that documentarians need is so well established here that you feel near guilty eavesdropping on some of the more static moments of when the crew is accessing the race or talking about the game plan or just talking about life. 

This immerse approach is backed by careful and nicely done editing where the pace quickens when it needs to and smooths itself through these poignant moments of calm and resolve. It is that dichotomy that I think should interest even those who are not into sports at all. That's a hard achievement for any film, let alone one that really shines as a passion project. I mean what I really gleamed and appreciated beyond the precision with the technical aspects was how much balance there was between the passion for this sport and its cold hard realities.    

WHY CHAMPION THIS MOVIE: Even if you are someone who had that knowledge going in, the appreciation of how close you are to it really should resonate with any racing fan. Maybe even any sports fan. Even if you aren't a sports fan I think you might enjoy being in a different space in a different way while engaging all the emotional elements of a documentary film. This is very much like riding a rollercoaster, the thrills, the exhale, and then little bit of how much fun you had so let's go again. Beyond that appreciating the skillset of Adrian as a filmmaker and the prowess and artistry he exhibits here.

YOU CAN WATCH OUR INTERVIEW ON OUR SPOTLIGHT SERIES WITH THE FILMMAKER ADRIAN BONVENTO BELOW