One of the things like about being a critic is that I get the opportunity to see films I would not normally see, and more often than not I learn new things from them. There is no better example of this than the documentaries that we screen, and there is no better example of that than “Gleeson,” where I found out a lot about a man whose name I barely knew. This film really got me more interested in films like it, and now I get to say that again with “Maiden”.
Directed by Alex Holmes (Dunkirk), this is the story of Tracy Edwards, who is the captain of the first all-female crew to race in the prestigious Whitehead ‘Round the World Race in 1989, which is a boating event that spans six months and 33,000 nautical miles. Made up of footage from her, the eleven person crew, her competitors, and even those who covered the race itself, it spans from her early life to the preparation for the race, the race as it happened, and the events that followed.
Due to the age of some of the footage, I liked how there was no real attempt to update and restore the footage to modern standards, almost like watching old VHS tapes. Granted, the interview footage shot now was much clearer, but I did not expect the two to match. This all surrounds a very interesting story where Edwards and her team had to overcome a number of things, but I do not want to go much deeper because I do not want to put anything out there that may be a spoiler. There are a lot of emotions packed into a ninety-minute run time, and it all works. I am truly glad I got the chance to see “Maiden,” and I will give it the coveted full-price evening show for anyone to see it in the theater.