IFFR 2021 - Les Sorcières de l’Orient (Witches of the Orient)
IFFRSportsmanship and reunions dominate Witches of the Orient, a documentary from Julien Faraut which looks to bring the legendary ‘Oriental Witches’ back together to reminisce on their success in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. To do away with the rumours and legends, speculations and achievements that have dominated the lives of the remaining members. Despite their flutters with fame and sporting accomplishments, they now live varyingly normal lives. The opportunity to discuss, in detail, their sporting prowess at a time of tough competition feels like the release they have been waiting for, and as a group, those involved relish the opportunity to talk of their proudest achievements.
In that regard, Witches of the Orient is certainly nice enough. Bogged down often by an overreliance on stock footage and training montages coupled with the expectedly cliché and repetitive music, Faraut doesn’t quite reach the highs that are presented to him. These scenes of past footage give little aim or information on the future and drone on for far longer than they should. Overstaying their welcome and invading the space where actual detail and particulars should be found, the biggest issue Witches of the Orient has is its inability to express its information in a compact style. Blocks of text on a blue background, odd editing choices that profile the ageing athletes as secret agents in an action film, and a general lack of common sense is found throughout.
Strangely endearing it may be at times, it is hard to get over the ultimately futile use of time. Faraut does not present his information clearly or in any way interestingly, instead opting for an approach that tries to include his flair for direction. Witches of the Orient is as much about volleyball players as it is about a director attempting to break his craft into the mainstream. That is, after all, what any project aims for, but most offer a level of subtlety absent from this documentary. What brief glimmers of interest can shine through fade far too fast and are far less frequent than the mundane shots of former Olympians cutting apples or eating food.
Faraut tries to combine a compelling romp through history with stock footage and lengthy breaks between detail. Whether this is to stretch himself to a feature-length or to regale his audience with history and tradition from the period is unknown.. For all the misgivings and practical faults, there is a story here worth waiting for, and Witches of the Orient has such an engaging pocket of comfortable history to focus on, that it is hard not to root for the reminiscing, retired medallists.