SXSW Review: ‘Spreadsheet Champions’ is a High-Intensity Look at a World of Incredible Achievers

Some people begrudgingly use tools like Microsoft Excel only when they’re forced to, keeping track of or tabulating basic information either for personal or professional purposes. Others see the boundless possibilities offered by the software and indulge fully in everything they can do – or haven’t yet discovered how to do – with it. For those invested in learning as much as they can, there’s no better ground to prove their skills than the high-stress environment of the Spreadsheet World Championships.

Spreadsheet Champions is an endearing documentary that follows six students from around the world who are all preparing for this latest competition. Some aren’t particularly socially well-adjusted, preferring to keep to themselves and spend most of their time in front of a computer than engage in human relationships. Others do have friends but still devote an extraordinary amount of time to perfecting their talents and ensuring that, when the time comes, they’re at the top of their game and ready to deliver under pressure.

For the people who have never thought to use Excel for anything other than its most rudimentary functions, this documentary may prove stressful, since it introduces a level of devotion they would never even have contemplated and which will surely repel them from using the technology again unless they absolutely must. Even for those who think that they know plenty about Excel and utilize formulas on a regular basis, this documentary will still be quite advanced, taking everything to incredible heights and leaving viewers focused on the competitors rather than the meat of the competition and the nuts and bolts of the assigned tasks.

This is a film about what it means to be engaged in something that requires a great degree of concentration and a tremendous amount of skill. These young people haven’t had much life experience but so much of it has been working to make themselves the best at their chosen hobby. As with other films looking at high-stakes competitions, it’s inevitable that those who are the smartest and most acclaimed students at their own respective schools will be taught a difficult lesson about being a small fish in a much bigger ocean.

Rather than opt for a playful, game-like setup to follow the students as they compete, this film digs into their backstories and meets their families, painting a full picture of who each of them is. It’s informative to hear how their parents describe them, highlighting the strengths that they have while also acknowledging that they still have much to learn and can’t always see the full picture. Each person has a different cultural background and additional factors that motivate them, and they bring all of that with them when they’re in a room with others who are equally driven to do well and to return home with a sense of pride.

Selecting the focus of this film is meant to be a gamble since filmmaker Kristina Kraskov, in her feature directorial debut, is following competitors who may or may not win – or even place – in the competition. These are all people who want to be number one, and who have spent much of their short careers in this space as the best in their respective classes and schools, and therefore disappointment is sure to come since they can’t all be the best when they’re up against those with the same serious and intense credentials. This film smartly chooses to praise them all and show the ups and downs of their spirits throughout the entire process, not holding back from the challenging parts and celebrating their accomplishments which any viewer should find monumentally impressive and commendable.

Movie Rating: 7/10