The world of female bodybuilders is relatively undocumented. However, through the lens of writer-directors Anna Eszter Nemes and László Csuja, audiences are treated to a rare view of this underrated sport. In this case, we follow protagonist Edina, portrayed by real-life Hungarian bodybuilder Eszter Csonka, who goes to great lengths and makes many sacrifices for the opportunity to achieve her dreams and win the Miss Olympia title. Supported by her coach, Adam (Gyorgy Turos, also a former champion bodybuilder), Gentle takes a realistic and often heart-wrenching look at an athlete who strives to represent her country at the highest level of bodybuilding while endeavoring to achieve the impossible body.

Like many coaches, Adam is unrelenting and harsh on Edwina: he is highly critical of her and what he deems her lack of grace. He urges her to be “more feminine” and “elegant,” verging on cruelty when he tells her she “moves like a demented robot.’”

Edina will go to any extreme necessary to achieve her goal. She regularly tortures her body at the gym to achieve the ultimate sculptured appearance. She enhances her punishing regime and diet with anabolic steroids and innumerable dietary supplements, which come at a substantial financial price. In order to keep her head above water, and with little financial resources behind her, Edina must resort to selling her body through a “specialty” escort service, where she is hired for penetration-free dates by men who are more curious about looking at her body than engaging with it sexually. Despite these circumstances as an escort, she finds love and realizes her life has been lacking the intimacy she needs.

Nemes was at the Brussels International Film Festival earlier this year, where she explained her interest in the world of bodybuilding. “I was a super fan of these super figures like Arnold Schwarzenegger.” She says, summing up the movie, “Gentle is about fighting for identity, trying to find it, and then longing for acceptance and unconditional love.”