Blind Ambition

Unlike every other documentary film on wine that centers around the world of a privileged few working in an elite and closed-off industry, inaccessible to the rest of the world, Blind Ambition portrays an inspiring and joyous journey of four Zimbabwean refugees working in South Africa, who through sheer perseverance, make their way to become their nation's champion team in the World Wine Tasting Championship - essentially the Olympics of wine.

While exploring the devastating realities of the Black immigrant experience in South Africa and the pervading racism inherent in the wine industry, the movie somehow maintains an uplifting tone throughout and is filled with instances of humor and pure joy. In just 1 hr 30 minutes, the film manages to go deep enough to put so many things into perspective while simultaneously leaving you feeling inspired.

This is essential viewing not just for those interested in the wine industry but for anyone who loves a good underdog story. One of the most moving films I've seen in a while.

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.

This had all the emotional, storytelling, riveting storyline that makes for a good documentary and actually a good film; I would really like to have a follow up story about this.

This says a lot about Black Africans in a subtle way and a reflection on what Africa truly looks like.

As someone who enjoys wine and knows it well, I really enjoyed this movie. Their story and journey were absolutely amazing to watch, my wife and myself barely blinked as the story unfolded. I will watch it again if I get the chance, and will enjoy it again. The soundtrack, and the storytelling, and background story of the REAL people really let me got bought in. The fact that Janis Robinson helped them and was in the movie really brought everything together. I actually hope they do a sequel, as I'd like to see where these lovely people are at in their life today. Congratulations and cheers to wine and life!

As someone who was born and raised in Zimbabwe, this movie meant a lot to me. These guys overcame the most incredible adversities and rose to the top of their game. And despite the hardships, they are still proud of our beautiful Zimbabwe. This movie is a roller coaster ride that will leave you feeling inspired. Pamberi be Zimbabwe.