Endurance (1998)

The gold medal for the men's 10,000-metre race in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics is won by Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie.

Directors:

Leslie Woodhead, Bud Greenspan

Stars:

Haile Gebrselassie, Shawananness Gebrselassie, Yonas Zergaw

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Haile Gebrselassie	...	Himself (as Haile Gebrsellasie)
Shawananness Gebrselassie	...	Haile's Mother
Yonas Zergaw	...	Young Haile Gebrselassie
Tedesse Haile	...	Young Haile's Father
Bekele Gebrselassie	...	Himself (Haile's Father)
Alem Tellahun	...	Herself (Haile's Wife)
Assefa Gebrselassie
Tizazu Mashresha
Winishet Tesfaye
Abinet Tedesse
Berhane Tesfaye
Bekele Negash
Berhane Taye
Endale Workineh
Zinash Workineh

Storyline

The gold medal for the men's 10,000-metre race in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics is won by Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie.

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Sport

---

Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA UK Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 May 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Der Einzelkämpfer von Atlanta

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,339, 16 May 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$229,128, 1 August 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films, Helkon Media, La Junta

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

During the close-up of an official at the final you can see runners passing by. One of them is wearing orange (clearly Dutch). In the final there was no Dutchman.

User Reviews

All The Way

"Endurance" Making it a point to see every film that is released, It's always a drag when I dread seeing some of the new stuff. "Endurance" was not high on my list due to its' Terrence Malick connections and Disney origins, two things that make me sick to my stomach. After praying it would disappear after a week into the run, the film stayed longer, forcing me to reconsider whether or not to skip it. Let me now just remind myself and others the power of seeing everything that comes my way. "Endurance" tells the simple story of Haile Gebrsellasie, a meek Ethiopian farmboy who dreamed of a career in long distance running. The movie barely uses any dialog to tell it's story, instead relying on images and music for dramatic weight. Beginning, with real footage, at the 1996 Olympics where Haile competes for the gold medal, the film takes us back to show the runner's home life. This part of the film is recreated. We watch as Haile learns what it takes to overcome struggle in his life. He runs 6 miles to school everyday, takes a 3 hour trip to fetch water each afternoon, and he is the middle child of 10. We also see Haile's father try to sway him into other vocations and gently disapproves his son's dream to run. Comparing this to Malick's recent "Thin Red Line" is appropriate due to both film's insistence to tell the story through nature and the "you are there" camerawork. "Endurance" director Leslie Woodhead wins out simply because she knows when to stop. That's a gift Malick will never own. At 83 minutes, "Endurance" is winning is almost every way possible. Breathtakingly shot by cinematographer Ivan Strasburg , impossibly scored by personal fave Hans Zimmer, and as I said before, just the right pace and timing. It's thrilling to watch Haile grow up and become the success he is today (Running Magazine calls him "The best long distance runner ever.") Even though we know how the Olympic race comes out, I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with emotion at the result. This is a very delicate and beautiful picture, one of the few that believes in restraint and mood. Perfect for kids and bold enough for adults, just about as tidy as a film can be. I recommend this film highly. --------------- 10