Alex Wieczerzak is one of the best judo fighters in Germany. But in his youth, Alex was bullied because of his last name. Most children cannot pronounce it, they find it funny and laugh. The whole documentary is here: 1.ard.de/Fighter?d=p Alex is teased, but he was born in Frankfurt. He wants to prove it to them and has set himself a big goal: to win Olympic gold for Germany. But there are many more obstacles to come.
The elaborately produced documentary "Fighter" shows the former world champion Alexander Wieczerzak as very few people know him. The spectator is there when Wieczerzak fights for his last Olympic chance at the Grand Slam in Düsseldorf, you look behind the scenes, in the dressing room of the national team. You learn about the rivalry between Wieczerzak and his competitor Dominic Ressel, about the friendship with silver medalist Edu Trippel. You learn a lot about Wieczerzak's hobbies, who likes to bake bread and go to the sauna. And you experience how the pros weight their weight shortly before the competition.
Alexander Wieczerzak allows the viewer to get very close to himself, his feelings, his thoughts. Once in the film he stands in front of his old school, reports how he was bullied in fifth grade because of his last name - and how that made him strong. He reports how he almost died from tropical fever or how he fears for his career after a corona infection. It is the story of an exceptional athlete who often falls but always gets up again. Never before has a German judoka been accompanied so intensively at every turn.
A camera team from Hessischer Rundfunk filmed and recorded Wieczerzak's life for more than two years. A roller coaster of emotions. Anyone interested in judo should watch Fighter.
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