Thin Ice

Sweden 2006 / 57min. Indian, English with English subtitles.
Director Hakan Berthas / Producer Fredrik Gertten

Ice hockey in the Himalayas, anyone?

Compared to religious and ethnic divisions, sport may seem pretty trivial. And yet, as this wonderful underdog story shows, it has the potential to overcome multiple barriers.

A gutsy and out-spoken Nepalese schoolgirl, Dolka plans to put together a women’s ice hockey team in Ladakh (Northern India). Her plans whilst basic and taken for granted in some places put her into direct conflict with the mullahs, who are not convinced a Buddhist-Muslim team of sportily-attired young women is a good idea, and the Sportsmen’s Association, who would rather see the girls compete as ice-dancers. Yet Dolka refuses to let mountains or male indifference deter her from forming a women’s ice hockey team.

Against the rugged landscapes, Dolka and her school friends struggle to realise their dream of competing in the national
championships. Starting from scratch, they have to assemble all the equipment (skates, sticks and even ice) and find the players they need. But can they win the tournament? Thin Ice is your classic underdog sports story set against the magnificent backdrop of the Himalayan mountains and an eye-opener of one of the world’s most cloistered societies.

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