Sparta

In Rimini, the previous film by Austrian director Ulrich Seidls , viewers were introduced to lapsed nightclub singer/gigolo Richie Bravo, who tries to entertain an older (female) audience with his second-rate act. In Sparta, Seidl introduces us to Richie's brother Ewald, a middle-aged man with paedophile tendencies. The making of the film caused a stir when Seidl was accused not only of making his shooting days with the children far too long, but also of not adequately informing the parents of those children about the subject of the film. Seidl refuted all accusations.

Austrian 40-something Ewald moved to Romania with his girlfriend Aurica years ago. But now he has left her and moved on, somewhere in the countryside. When he converts a run-down village school into a judo school, initially everyone is happy. But that changes when people begin to notice that he is more interested in his young pupils than judo.