Glasgow Film Festival Red Army

The Cold War wasn’t just fought on borders and in diplomatic skirmishes. Sport provided a gladiatorial arena in which ideology was as important as athleticism. Gabe Polsky’s hugely appealing documentary tells the story of Slava Fetisov, a legendary Russian ice hockey player who became a key figure in the intense rivalry between Soviet Russia, USA and Canada. Fetisov paved the way for huge changes in the game, as communism gave way to capitalism and lucrative NHL contracts attracted ‘Red Army’ stalwarts to a new country and a new approach to their sport.