#christopher pryor

[filmsandthrills-blog]

[filmsandthrills-blog]

The Ground We Won

This film was directed by Christopher Pryor. From what I gathered it was about a rugby team trying to to go for an undefeated season, and the men’s responsibilities on the farm. After reading the description, I understood it was about a transition into manhood. In New Zealand, farms and rugby are a big deal and loved by the country, so they used those two important things to highlight an important time in these men’s lives. I personally didn’t enjoy the film and even dozed off a bit, which was especially disappointing to me after the big introduction the person gave before it about how much he loved the film. I think there were certain scenes I enjoyed, but other parts just seemed so scripted it made me uncomfortable. I didn’t really walk away feeling as though I had gained anything important from watching this film.

[hgrace15-blog]

Rugby Dad

The Ground We Won’s call to action was showing how rugby can turn boys into a man.  I don’t believe that there was even a problem in this film.  If there was I did not pick up on it.  The film was black and white to show that the life is not that exciting to an outsider, but it is these peoples lives. If I was the director I would not have done the film in black and white.  I would also have made the film more interesting to the every day person.

[hunterkroberts-blog]

Blood, Sweat, Laughs

The call of action was the roots of a New Zealand boy and how ruby is life as well as farming.I believe that it made me aware that New Zealand rugby players have a drinking problem. The director used children in the movie with a single father to make you feel bad and be pitiful. i personal thought that the directors used the proper styles to portray the message.

[rose-leicht-blog]

What We Won with this Film

The Ground We Won is a documentary following a rugby group in New Zealand. The characters who were primarily featured were a father of two boys, who is on the team but also coaches for young players, and another player, the newest member of the team called “Peanut” who is also a boxer. The film explores themes of friendship and morality as it chronicles the teams journey through a tournament. It also juxtaposes scenes of this journey with scenes of dairy farming, a big industry in that area of New Zealand, which was an odd choice, but one that, for some reason, worked. Another feature of the film was that it was shot entirely in black and white, a stylistic choice that I did not perceive as bringing anything new or enlightening to the movie. Personally, I don’t think it would have made much of a difference if the film had been shot in color instead, but it was an interesting piece regardless. 

[minimal-chuck-blog]

Fucking Brutal

The Ground We Won is a New Zealand film shot in black and white focused on a rugby club in Rapora. It follows the team during one of their seasons, seng how the celebrate, how they cope with loss, and what they do when they arnt playing rugby.

Most  the club members are simple dairy farmers. When they arnt tackling one another on a muddy field, they are helping their cows give birth or rangaling them. This shows that despite how aggressive, how violent, or how crude they get once they put on their uniform, the members are still just honest down to earth people.

These characters feel authentic, they feel real and almost relatable. They drink, they sing, they shove each other around. They even get one each others nerves but despite all of this, they are all still friends.

So when you leave the film you ask yourself what it was about. Was it trying to show us  the hard brutal lives of rugby teams? Is it an insight into what friendship really is like? Or is it even a study on what brutal training and tons of alcohol do to the body? The answer is really of these. The films covers a wide range of topics in such a short amount of time while being entertaining.

The Ground We Won is an incredible film that is enjoyed by nearly everyone. You don't need to be a sports fan or even know what rugby is. All you have to be is a person who enjoys film and beautiful cinematography

[cinema-e-altro-locarno]

The Ground We Won, de Christopher Pryor (semaine de la critique). Documentaire extrêmement bien filmé, dans un noir et blanc hypnotique, racontant l'histoire d'un groupe de paysans et éleveurs néo-zélandais et de leur club de rugby amateur. Touchant, drôle et très beau. À voir.