Paralympic Education Program Presented by Rising Phoenix: A Study Guide – English Introduction Rising Phoenix (2020), directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, is a Netflix original documentary that tells the story of how the Paralympic Games have become the third biggest sporting competition in the world. This feature-length documentary follows nine elite athletes as they reflect on how the Paralympic Games have impacted a global understanding of disability, diversity, and excellence. The documentary is rated M for moderate course language. Resources • A copy of the documentary, Rising Phoenix, available on Netflix. • Printed, colour copies of the promotional posters. • Internet access for research and access to the official trailer. [email protected] paralympic.org.au Paralympics Australia – Rising Phoenix: A Study Guide – English • Interpret, analyse and evaluate how Differentiation different perspectives of issue, event, situation, individuals or groups are • Teachers can modify the length constructed to serve specific purposes and detail required in students’ in texts (ACELY1742) responses. • Use comprehension strategies to interpret and analyse texts, comparing • Teachers might scaffold learning and evaluating representations of an by modelling some activities first event, issue, situation or character in or completing as a class. different texts (ACELY1744) • Teachers can provide students with • Explore and explain the combinations additional learning, including film/ of language and visual choices that camera techniques, documentary authors make to present information, opinions and perspectives in different styles and conventions. texts (ACELY1745) Year 10 Australian • Compare the purposes, text structures Curriculum Links and language features of traditional and contemporary texts in different English media (ACELA1566) • Evaluate the impact on audiences of Year 9 different choices in the representation of still and moving images (ACELA1572) • Understand that authors innovate with text structures and language • Compare and evaluate a range of for specific purposes and effects representations of individuals and (ACELA1553) groups in different historical, social and cultural contexts (ACELT1639) • Analyse and explain the use of symbols, icons and myth in still • Analyse and explain how text and moving images and how these structures, language features and augment meaning (ACELA1560) visual features of texts and the context in which texts are experienced • Present an argument about a literary may influence audience response text based on initial impressions and (ACELT1641) subsequent analysis of the whole text (ACELT1771) • Evaluate the social, moral and ethical positions represented in texts • Explore and reflect on personal (ACELT1812) understanding of the world and significant human experience • Analyse and evaluate how people, gained from interpreting various cultures, places, events, objects representations of life matters in texts and concepts are represented in (ACELT1635) texts, including media texts, through language, structural and/or visual • Analyse how the construction and choices (ACELY1749) interpretation of texts, including media texts, can be influenced by • Identify and analyse implicit or explicit cultural perspectives and other texts values, beliefs and assumptions in (ACELY1739) texts and how these are influenced by purposes and likely audiences (ACELY1752) Paralympics Australia – Rising Phoenix: A Study Guide – English Teaching and Learning Activities 1 2 Before watching the documentary First impressions • Before telling the students anything • Guide students through a visible about what they are about to watch, thinking routine to explore their initial in small groups, give each group one impressions or summary of the film. of the film posters used to promote These routines would work well for this: the film. These can be found on the • Colour, Symbol, Image internet. Guide students through a see, think, wonder strategy as they • Headlines predict what the film might be about • Word, Phrase, Sentence and what themes or issues it might After students have had a chance to think explore. about their own perception of the film. • Using a think, pair, share strategy, ask A strategy such as The 4 C’s could be used students what they know about the to stimulate a more in-depth response to Paralympic Games. the film. • Use the internet to research the • As a class or in small groups, discuss Paralympic Games and the athletes whether students agree or disagree featured in the documentary. with the following statements about Ryley Batt and Ellie Cole are two the film and why. This could also be Australian athletes who appear in done physically by placing agree/ the documentary. Students can find disagree signs on either side of the out more about these two athletes classroom and having students move by reading their profile here. The to the side the align with. International Paralympic Committee also has some information and videos on the history of the Paralympic Games. • Watch the trailer and/or official lyric video to introduce the documentary. Statements “There is absolutely no doubt that this film will transform every single person who watches it. This is a film that will empower so many people around the world and further bring to life the vision of the Paralympic Movement’s founder Sir Ludwig Guttmann.” – Andrew Parsons (IPC President) “People are going to start supporting Paralympics, people are going to start knowing what the Paralympics are, so it’s going to be a good platform for everyone in the Paralympics.” - Ntando Mahlangu (South African Paralympian) ““Rising Phoenix,” stacked with hero-worship, suffers from a lack of depth. Complicated topics, like the fraught relationship between the Paralympics and the Olympics, which take place in the same facilities but can receive uneven attention, are skimmed or skirted. And the highlighted athletes — to use the Avengers metaphor — appear far too much as Spiderman, rarely as Peter Parker.” – The New York Times Paralympics Australia – Rising Phoenix: A Study Guide – English 3 Understanding the film d) Describe how the local government and a) The documentary features nine public received and prepared for the athletes: London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. • Bebe Vio (Italy) e) What is the purpose of including Prince • Ellie Cole (Australia) Harry in this documentary? • Jean-Baptiste Alaize (France) f) There are a few references to Ancient • Matt Stutzman (USA) Greek mythology. For example, the film’s title ‘Rising Phoenix’ and the use • Jonnie Peacock (Great Britain) of statues made to look like Ancient • Cui Zhe (China) Greek Gods. Why do you think these • Ryley Batt (Australia) references have been included and what meaning do they add to the film? • Ntando Mahlangu (South Africa) g) What have you learnt about the • Tatyana McFadden (USA) Paralympic Games from watching For each of the following featured athletes, this documentary? Go back to your brainstorm, or Think, Pair, Share, • identify their sport. worksheet and add in what you have • describe their disability and how it was learnt. acquired. h) What are some of the main messages • summarise some of their main or themes in the documentary? successes and challenges. i) Who do you think is the target audience b) Who is Sir Ludwig Guttmann and for this documentary and what do you how does he relate to the Paralympic think is the directors’ overall purpose for Movement? making this documentary? c) What were the Stoke Mandeville Games? Paralympics Australia – Rising Phoenix: A Study Guide – English 4 Close reading Below are some questions to guide an analysis of key scenes. Teachers could show students the specific scene, then on a second or third viewing, stop at specific moments to discuss the questions below. Times are approximate. Opening sequence and title credits (0:00:00 – 0:02:12) a) What is the purpose of discussing superheros? What tone does it set for the documentary? b) We first see images of statues which are repeated throughout the film. Using the following terms, describe what you see on the screen: • Montage Introducing Ellie Cole (0:10:45 – 0:15:36) • Low-key lighting a) What is the technique called when • Extreme close-up documentaries use video footage • Zoom out from the past? What is the purpose of including this type of footage? • Medium shot b) Look at how Ellie Cole is positioned • Fade to black when she is speaking directly to the c) Describe the soundtrack that plays camera. Look at the background, her during the first shots of the athletes. outfit, the camera angle and shot type. How does this music make you feel? Discuss why you think the director’s d) Camera movement such as zooming made these choices? How does it and panning is used in many shots compare or contrast to other images we during the opening montage. Why do see of Ellie throughout the film? you think the directors have chosen to c) The film quickly cuts from Ellie Cole use these techniques? diving into the Paralympic pool to a e) The opening montage cuts between dreamlike underwater sequence. Why close-up shots and medium to long has the director included these shots of shots. What is the effect of each shot Ellie swimming underwater? and what is the effect of cutting quickly d) Describe the underwater shots. You between these shot types on the same might like to use some of the following athlete? terms: f) We again see the statues just before the • Low key lighting title credits. How do the images of the • Deep focus statues and the accompanying music make you feel? • Costume • Close-up shot • Long shot • Non-diegetic sound Paralympics Australia – Rising Phoenix: A Study Guide – English e) When Ellie starts talking to the camera Bebe Vio’s (wheelchair fencer) gold medal about her cancer, a close up shot is (1:31:50 – 1:37:59) used. Why? What is the effect of this a) When the athletes are competing, the type of shot? directors chose to mirror the athlete’s f) Archival footage is used again of Ellie same movements in a dreamlike re- as a child.