Ultra

An ultramarathon is a race in which the competitors run a distance longer than that of the classic marathon. The Spartathlon is actually six times longer than a marathon. Only those willing to give their all and reach down into the depths of their strength are allowed to participate. Every year, hundreds of runners from all over the world gather in Athens, where the Spartathlon begins. The aim is to run the route leading to Sparta, which is 246 km away, within 36 hours. The extreme physical demands of this competition can even be fatal. For Annett, a young woman from Germany, Béla Szabó from Hungary, and Angela from France, the desire to win is not what keeps them going. It’s the desire to find themselves and discover what compels them to take part. It is precisely the achievement of a state of profound introspection – and the subsequent healing of physical and mental traumas – that leads many ultramarathonists to repeatedly attempt to successfully finish this Greek race. One of the documentary’s protagonists and Spartathlon participants is the film’s director, Balázs Simonyi. https://vimeo.com/190864367