In Mystic Ball, director Greg Hamilton takes viewers to Myanmar and introduces them to Chinlone -- a sport with emphasis on play, artistry, and dance rolled into one. The object of Chinlone is to create dazzling moves while, most of all, projecting beauty.

There are no opposing teams, winners or losers. Teams work together in harmony and use the knowledge that has been passed down to them for the basis of creating their own style and doing something uniquely their own.

Even seniors come together to play Chinlone. We are introduced to a group of elderly men that have been playing each day for 70 years. Children also play Chinlone and take lessons from teachers. While youngsters may not have access to a lot of money, they pay their teachers for their time in the form of gifts or tokens of gratitude. 

Chinlone means “cane-ball” in Burmese. Rattan is used to create a strange orb designed to make a distinct clicking noise as it is struck by a player. The game is played by six people who assemble themselves in a circle.

Five of these players will walk around the outside of the circle while the sixth is in the middle and acts as a soloist. The soloist’s teammates must -- with one kick -- continue to keep the ball from dropping and hitting the ground. When a ball hits the floor, it is considered a “dead ball” and players must start fresh.

Team members will use the top of their toes, inner and outer feet, their soles, heel and knee. There are more than 200 moves a player can execute in a game. Players with considerable skill can execute complicated moves that require them to kick a ball they cannot see because it is behind their backs.

Movements must be synchronized with the head, arms, body in proper position. If things are not in sync, the move was done poorly. Often Chinlone events are part of Buddhist festivals. Spectators will spend several hours at an event as team after team after team trots out to play.

An announcer is hired to give play by play, and live music from an orchestra is performed synchronized with the match. If a spectator happens to like a certain move, he or she can approach the announcer and provide a tip for the player. Money is pinned to the back of the person’s jersey and the name of the tipper called out.

Hamilton has played Chinlone for over 20 years. The first-time this filmmaker learned of the game, he was in a Toronto park where he saw a man juggling a strange ball with his feet. The man told him about Chinlone, and Hamilton inquired about the ball only to find they were not available in Canada, only in Burma. Doing what he could to improve, the director  kept his passion going. He decided if he really wanted to play Chinlone, he'd better go to Myanmar. Hamilton made several trips to the country and the city of Mandalay. The filmmaker earned the distinction of being the only foreigner to play in a Buddhist Festival which incorporated Chinlone and was seen on TV with millions of Myanmar citizens tuning in.

Over time, Hamilton developed a friendship with Ko Maung, a longtime veteran whose son is considered to be the best player alive and who became his coach. Hamilton also met  the “Golden Princess” Su Su Hlaing, the greatest solo Chinlone artist in Myanmar. And Hamilton played on Maung Maung’s Dream Lovers team -- the best in the country.

Players must be aware of everything around them as their mind enters a trance-like state where nothing other than Chinlone exists. They develop a deep spiritual connection with the game and the ball. Hamilton has studied Asian culture his entire life and is considered to be the leading expert on Chinlone outside of Myanmar.

Hamilton said his goal with Mystic Ball is to “present the beauty and culture of Chinlone and to share my story of a strange passion that led me on a spiritual journey that is still continuing.” Hamilton certainly achieved his goal and then some! He is also planning the first Chinlone World Tour.

Mystic Ball made its World Premiere in the Canadian Spectrum series at Hot Docs: Canadian International Documentary Film Festival on May 1, 2006, and has another Festival screening on May 7th. For more information, go to www.chinlone.com.

(A Black Rice Production; not rated by MPAA.) 

Review also posted on www.movie-critiques.com.