Pelota
Denmark, 1983, 46 minutes, Color, Danish; Turkish captioned, Turkish dubbed, English subtitled
Director: Jørgen Leth
Screenplay: Jørgen Leth, Klaus Rifbjerg, Ebbe Traberg
Cinematography: Dan Holmberg, Ole John
Editing: Franz Ernst
Music: Ennio Morricone
Sound: Morning Pastorok
Producer: Ole John
Production: Statens Filmcentral, Danmarks Radio, John & Leth Film
Jørgen Leth captures the game of pelota, also known as ‘basque ball’, which is played by hitting a small ball covered with hard rubber against a wall, in the Basque Country, the birthplace of this sport. With music by Ennio Morricone, this documentary film explores the intricacies of pelota and focuses on the importance of this historic sport in Basque culture. Leth does not only show the performance of a sport in the arenas or on the courses, but also draws attention to how it can affect the streets of a culture.