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| Alfred Proksch in Autumn Gold. |
By Don Simpson
Making its U.S. premiere at this year's German Currents: New Films from Germany showcase, Jan Tenhaven’s heartwarming documentary Autumn Gold (Herbstgold) tells the life-affirming story of five athletes -- all over the age of 80 -- in their preparation for the 2009 World Masters Athletics Championships in Lahti, Finland.
Alfred Proksch (age 100) is an Austrian discus thrower; Jiří Soukup (age 82) is a Czech high jumper; Ilse Pleuger (age 82) is a German shot putter; Herbert Liedtke (age 93) is a Swedish track runner; and Gabre Gabric (age is none of your damn business) is an Italian discus thrower.
Despite their advanced ages, they all possess a relentless drive to keep going -- they all feel way too young to be confined to a rocking chair (or worse yet, a bed). To these athletes, their golden years constitutes a greater goal, an unyielding quest for gold medals.
Making its U.S. premiere at this year's German Currents: New Films from Germany showcase, Jan Tenhaven’s heartwarming documentary Autumn Gold (Herbstgold) tells the life-affirming story of five athletes -- all over the age of 80 -- in their preparation for the 2009 World Masters Athletics Championships in Lahti, Finland.
Alfred Proksch (age 100) is an Austrian discus thrower; Jiří Soukup (age 82) is a Czech high jumper; Ilse Pleuger (age 82) is a German shot putter; Herbert Liedtke (age 93) is a Swedish track runner; and Gabre Gabric (age is none of your damn business) is an Italian discus thrower.
Despite their advanced ages, they all possess a relentless drive to keep going -- they all feel way too young to be confined to a rocking chair (or worse yet, a bed). To these athletes, their golden years constitutes a greater goal, an unyielding quest for gold medals.
A story of winning and losing, triumphs and setbacks, Autumn Gold is a beautiful testament to never giving up on life no matter what your age. Tenhaven proves that age is not a number, it is how you feel.
(Autumn Gold screens Oct. 23, 5 p.m., Aero Theatre. For more information: http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/los/prj/ger/flm/aut/enindex.htm)
