Being thrown down a flight of stairs, hit by a car or beaten up is the everyday life for stuntwomen. We follow Virginie, Petra and Estelle during training sessions and on film sets in France and the US. What does all this pretend-violence do to their bodies and minds? There is always a trade-off between the desire to perform as realistically as possible and their own boundaries. Scenes with cars are spectacular, but the roles in which they are beaten up are much harder to watch. Few action movies have female heroes so they usually play the role of victims. Stuntwomen are hired to endure violence, while the task of their male colleagues is to inflict it.

Dir. Elena Avdija - 84min - 2022 - Switzerland

"Elena Avdija’s revelatory and nuanced documentary shines a light on the incredibly brave performers who face physical and emotional battles on and off screen" - Guardian

"The scenes with burning cars or collisions are spectacular, but the roles in which they are beaten up are much harder to watch." - IDFA

"a touching and authentic portrait which goes far beyond the sensationalism of the subject it explores." - Cineuropa

"an intriguing take on patriarchal society through the stories we tell and the gendered roles we play." Backseat Mafia

"Freedom, glory or a search for power fuel these women’s desire to push their bodies to the limits. But how much violence are their bodies and minds able to take on?" - **Winner** - Best Doc, Zurich Film Festival