The Challenge

Ever wondered what Qatari sheikhs do in their downtime? In this dazzling debut documentary, Italian visual artist Yuri Ancarani finds out, and you won’t soon get the surreal images of the amateur falconry world out of your mind. Wealthy sheikhs spare no expense in their enthusiastic pursuit of this eccentric hobby. Fights between falcons and pigeons have (perhaps unsurprisingly) wild results, but it’s the dreamy juxtaposition of an ancient tradition playing out in a modern, ultra-rich arena that proves most jaw-dropping. “The Challenge” offers a vivid portrait of what recreation looks like when you’re living a life of excess, speeding through the desert in your supercar with a pet cheetah beside you—things most of us will never see, except on film.

SPONSORED BY
Kristy A. Avery & Patty A. Begin (Wed)
Mr. & Mrs. Wonderful (Thu)
MAWBY (Fri)