Racing Dreams

By Marshall Curry

This documentary made by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Marshall Curry follows the fortunes of three children as they compete on the US national karting scene. This is NASCAR territory, so these kids only turn left, racing on short oval tracks.

Josh Hobson is an assured 13-year-old Jeff Gordon in the making and Annabeth Barnes, 11, shows promise but is torn between racing and missing out on a social life. Both are charming, but the most endearing of the trio is Brandon Warren, 12, a charismatic kid held back by a lack of budget and a tough family life.

This is more than a racing film. It’s a fascinating snapshot of life growing up in small-town America. It’ll make you smile and at the end, you might even well up.

A surprising, quirky and very special film that, in its own way, is equal to the brilliant TT: Closer to the Edge, as previously heralded in these pages. DS

www.spiritlevelfilm.com, £14.99