Céline Roustan

We’re all familiar with bowling leagues, but did you know that thanks to technology, and in particular Nintendo, bowlers can now compete in locations other than alleys? In Springfield, IL, (pre-covid) a yearly Wii Bowling competition was held, where just like in any tournament, different teams battle against one another in knockout rounds, with the reigning champions doing their best to defend their title against rivals old and new. In Strikers, directors Amber Love and Andrea Raby give their audience front row seats to this event, which promises to be a wholehearted yet epic journey.

Given the unusual nature of this competition, the first question we had for the duo behind Strikers was how they heard of the contest and how they ended up being present for what turned out to be the last tournament, to date (damn you covid!). One could easily say that this story was just meant to be captured by the Love/Raby team, as they confess that “various dance and sports teams for elders was a pretty common conversation topic” for them. Both acknowledging the importance of friendship and community, one of the first things that fades away when moving to an assisted living facility.

Members of the Eden Strikers team are all given bowling names – above we see ‘Gefilte fish’, one of the crew’s newest members.

Serendipity hit in Winter 2019, when Love heard a podcast that mentioned Wii Tennis competitions. Cut to two months and some research later, upon discovering that a contest was held not too far from their Chicago base, they set-off for Springfield. Explaining that they initially had no real plan, in true non-fiction manner they let themselves be guided by the event. It just so happened that they ended up focusing on the number one team simply because that’s the closest team to where they live. Again FATE!

While the format and structure of Strikers is quite conventional, it’s the sense of community and the way they shaped the footage that gives the film its welcoming nature. As the competition unfolds in front of our eyes, while it is the pacing and stakes that initially keep us engaged, it is ultimately the friendship between the bowlers that comes across strongest on screen and stays with the audience long after watching. The charismatic personalities of the individual team members adds a fun and entertaining atmosphere to the film and like the good natured bowlers at its core, Strikers just feels impossible not to like.

‘The Reaper’ in action.

With their loose approach to filming, the editing process was always going to be vital in really capturing the spirit of this event and its participants. Love, also credited as the editor, builds the story by alternating between talking head interviews and “action” footage, painting the big picture of this competition while simultaneously revealing its emotional impact on every single one of the contestants. The result is a truly immersive viewing experience, but the directors were also keen that they represented the Eden Strikers fairly and accurately and even allowed the team to give their feedback throughout the editing process.

Love is currently finishing a new short in collaboration with Firelight Films and PBS, with a scheduled release in the upcoming fall, and is in the early production and financing stages of her first documentary feature, One Another, part of the 2022 Kartemquin Films Diverse Voices in Docs fellowship. While Raby is working as producer on two new projects: idols, a documentary feature by director Brian Lu that promises a lyrical portrait of a K-pop dance crew in Madison, WI and No One Asked You, a feature doc directed by Ruth Leitman following reproductive rights organization Abortion Access Front.