In the 1970’s and 80’s, it killed the Americans and Canadians on the ice at the Olympic Games: the Red Army hockey team of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. But behind its amazing success was a team of men trained under terrible conditions who were constantly spied on by the government, who had no privacy and were condemned to be the poster children of the Soviet Union.

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The Cold War seen through the prism of hockey: this is the great idea of documentary filmmaker Gabe Polsky, with the renowned Werner Herzog along for the ride as producer – exchanging favors after Polsky produced Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant. The story of the incredible exploits of these athletes slowly reveals some enlightening facts, enhanced by beautiful archival images and solid editing. Among those interviewed are Slava Fetisov, a former star player on the Red Army team who went into politics and is now a member of the Russian Parliament, after having served as the Minister of Sports under Vladimir Putin. Fetisov is at the center of an astonishing and surprising documentary that follows the rise and spectacular fall of the very symbolic Red Army and the Soviet Union itself.