#RACEGIRL - The Comeback of Sophia Flörsch

The German race car driver Sophia Flörsch was already obsessed with auto racing by the time she was five. As a teenager, without a single female role model, she managed to qualify for the prestigious Macau Grand Prix. During the race, disaster struck — in front of the cameras, she had a horrific accident. This lively portrait follows her rehabilitation process, and we see her climbing back into a racing car after just 106 days. But that turns out to be only the first step on a grueling journey to revive her sporting career. Because even though Flörsch may be at least as good as her male teammates and opponents, auto racing isn’t just about performance on the track. It’s an extremely expensive sport, which Flörsch can only finance through sponsorship contracts, and as a woman in a man’s world, winning these is a time-consuming business. She creates visibility on social media as #racegirl and by attending a wide variety of events. The protagonist’s fighting spirit and resilience are inspiring — not only for top athletes, but for anyone who dares to be a pioneer in a world that initially seems out of reach for them. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)