Olympic Halftime

The documentary film by Czech-Japanese filmmaker Haruna Honcoop focuses on three world metropolises – Paris, Tokyo, and Beijing, which have recently hosted or are scheduled to host the Olympic Games. The film explores how these cities, known for their size, population density, and tourism, are negatively impacted by the Olympics. By tracking urban transformations, including the creation and fate of so-called "white elephants," the film illustrates the extent to which the most prestigious sporting event of modern times poses challenges from ecological, humanistic, and economic perspectives for these urban areas. What are cities willing to sacrifice for their double-edged privilege?