This documentary traces the inspiring journey of the Zimbabwe team in the 2017 World Blind Wine Tasting Championship. The fitting title, 'Blind Ambition,' poignantly mirrors their unwavering determination and tenacity in this demanding competition.
The story, set in Cape Town, delves into Team Zimbabwe's unique composition of refugees from Zimbabwe. This background not only enriches the narrative but also brings a poignant perspective to their journey, highlighting their struggle and resilience.
The documentary presents an intriguing contrast between Team Zimbabwe and the separate South African team. Marking the first formation of an exclusive Zimbabwean team, it included four of the top twelve contenders from South Africa, thereby focusing predominantly on their backgrounds and stories within Zimbabwe.
The documentary highlights the competition's extreme difficulty, where contestants must accurately identify wine characteristics like grape variety, country of origin, region, producer, and vintage. A notable aspect of the documentary is its emphasis on the competition's unpredictable nature, vividly illustrating how even the previous year's winner could become the current year's last-place finisher, thus emphasizing the immense challenge and uncertainty inherent in the event.
The film poignantly portrays the challenging circumstances in both Zimbabwe and South Africa, emphasizing the resilience and determination of those involved
The documentary is emotionally engaging, particularly in its second half. The first half of the documentary, slower-paced, concentrates on the two months leading up to the championship. However, the excitement intensifies significantly upon the team's arrival at the competition site, culminating in the compelling drama of the championship day, where various ambitions and conflicts intersect.
The documentary also sheds light on the personal struggles of the team members, many of whom had to leave families behind in politically tumultuous Zimbabwe. The team's journey is marked by significant challenges, including raising funds through crowdfunding (achieving a notable 6500 pounds) and the daunting search for a coach, all against the backdrop of limited awareness about the wine tasting competition in South Africa.
Their perseverance amidst such adversities is deeply moving, painting a picture of true resilience and dedication.
Furthermore, the film's conclusion, showing how each team member continues their involvement with wine in different capacities post-competition, is particularly heartwarming and satisfying.
The film intriguingly explores the ambiguous role of a coach in the team. At first, it appears that a coach or local coordinator is essential, which leads to thought-provoking questions about the team's independence and whether support from the South African team might have been adequate. This element adds a layer of complexity to the team's journey.
