HBO Documentary Film Series

Marathon Boy (2011x31)

Air date: Dec 01, 2011

MARATHON BOY (Dec.) is the story of four-year-old Budhia Singh, who is plucked from the slums of India by coach Biranchi Das and trained to become India’s greatest runner. In the first six months of coaching, the youngster runs more than 24 half-marathons and by the next year, he has run 48 full marathons. With the world looking on and an international storm brewing, the Indian government decides to intervene, accusing the coach of cruelty and threatening to take his newly-adopted son into care. What starts as a rags-to-riches tale turns into a story of greed, envy and broken dreams. An official selection of the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, the documentary is directed by Gemma Atwal.