Danielle Sellwood (director)
(studio)
PG (certificate)
57 (length)
05 July 2024 (released)
5 min
The women featured in Younger have for various reasons decided that track and field is the way to go. It could be a lifelong love of the sport, reinterested again having lapsed from many years. For all its mental health, physical fitness, and competition.
And competition is key here. The Masters Competitions (organised by World Masters Athletics (WMA) who promote athletic events for athletes over thirty-five) are split into age groups spanning 5 years e.g. 70-74, 75-79 and so on.
That simple structure ensures that as each competitor gets older, moves through and eventually into another age group, the opportunity to continue winning and remain competitive isn’t lost. It also provides a degree of compensation as personal bests inevitably have to be reset and for some, that is difficult.
The documentary, written and directed by Danielle Sellwood with Alex Rotas, doesn’t deviate from the tried and tested find a few participants and concentrate on them format. That however works ideally here as it provides plenty of space for those featured to tell the viewer about themselves and what drives them.
In keeping with the standard format, the women talk candidly about their personal issues regarding illness, family and bereavement. Which is then placed against their training regimes and competitions.
And some have done very well in competitions, proudly displaying their medals and trophies or just keeping them in a cupboard. That success is coupled with an overriding sense of purpose: that they will not be sidelined or confined by social mores or lazy stereotypes.
There is an overwhelming sense of positivity about this documentary and its core issue (ageing) that should resonate well beyond the subject of track and field.
Younger will in UK cinemas on 5 July with the short film Older: A portrait of photographer and activist, Alex Rotas.
