Far in the north of Sweden, the town of Ensamheten (Solitude) is home to sixteen people. All of them are related, and ten of them are competitive armwrestlers. Heidi Andersson, a four-time world champion, works hard alongside her cousins, aunts, and uncles during the day, and trains with them at night after dinner. Heidi’s father is her coach, and he travels with her to both competitions and the trade shows and stores where she gives demonstrations and signs autographs to finance her competition. “The Armwrestler from Solitude” follows Heidi as she trains for her biggest fight yet: the Russian team at the Canada World Championships.
This is a fascinating look at the passion it takes to be the best at something. Although athletic documentaries are nothing new, Heidi’s unique background and unusual sport make this a real gem.