NINA IS AN ATHLETE: A Film Review
by Karen Pecota

Ravit Markus | Israel |2024

The story of a remarkable Israeli badminton athlete Nina Gorodetsky is the focus filmmaker Ravit Markus uses for his latest documentary NINA IS AN ATHLETE. This narrative portrays the consequences that an athlete internalizes when pursuing a dream and how it affects her future.

An Israeli badminton champion and a wheelchair user, Nina Gorodetsky has her sights on making it to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, but she also wants to have a second child. She is nearly fortyyears old and her chances of achieving both are narrowing. The rigorous training Nina undergoes as an athlete in preparation for the Paralympic trials and simply living life as a wife and mom is hard work and time consuming. Planning is everything in order to be at her best.

In the midst of pursuing trying to compete in the sport in which she is skilled, the worldwide pandemic brings a halt to her dreams. The question for Nina at her age is what path to take… and what is more important to her.

Upon her decision, Markus follows Nina in pursuit of her dreams in order to defy the odds set before her. A truly remarkable story that has the Israeli nation proud, but most of all it is the cost of living life to the fullest is what makes Nina proud.