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Movie Info & Details
Release Year1980
Runtime2h 00m
LanguageEnglish
CertificationNR
GenresDocumentary
Votes1
DirectorRoberto Ponce
WritersRoberto Ponce
TypeFeature Film
Rating7.0 out of 10
Cast2 credited
Also Known AsA Step Away
About A Step Away
Focuses on the performance of various elite athletes during the PanAmerican Games held in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1979. Athletes showcased in the documentary include USA team swimmer of Puerto Rican origin Jesse Vassallo; legendary Cuban track and field athlete Alberto Juantorena; Mexican diver Carlos Girón; American diver Greg Louganis; and the Puerto Rico national basketball team, among others. At the end of the film, the athletes expressed their hopes of being "a step away" from the 1980 Olympics Games; however, these hopes were shattered by the political crisis and the eventual USA-led boycott to the Olympic Games held in Moscow in 1980.
Directed by Roberto Ponce, A Step Away leans on a strong ensemble — Orson Welles, Carlos Montalbán — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.
The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 1980.
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