Mystic Ball

Canada/USA 2006 / 83min. English, Burmese with English subtitles.
Director Greg Hamilton / Producer Matthew London, Greg Hamilton

There are some of us who find any ball game challenging, and there are some who make control of the sphere look all too natural and enviably easy.

Somewhere way, way to the left is Greg Hamilton, who delved deep into the ancient culture of Myanmar, and emerged as a skilled practitioner of the traditional sport. It has a name: Chinlone. But Chinlone is something more than just a ball game, involving elements of dance and meditation, and an outcome that features no winners or losers. It’s astoundingly difficult, yet is played by children and grandparents alike.

Quite why a Canadian designer of jewellery and textiles, martial artist, musician and art festival organiser would want to become the first foreigner to play the game at its highest level is one of the many delights revealed by the film. With single-minded devotion, Greg learns the techniques alone, then arrives in Myanmar to a less-than-glowing appraisal of his skills. But he learns, over time, that the power of the game is about how you work with your fellow players that counts.

Greg immerses himself in the culture enlisting the coaching skills of Su Su Hliang, the “Golden Princess”, regarded as the best player in the country. It’s a fascinating journey, beautifully shot, and expressed with genuine devotion and affection.

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