This Documentary Takes You Contained in the Very Actual World of Aggressive Lightsaber Duels (Unique)

Each Star Wars fan has their favorite Star Wars thing. Possibly it’s the house battles. Possibly it’s the bizarre creatures. Possibly it’s the commerce routes. For a lot of, although, their favourite issues are lightsabers and lightsaber battles. Which, apparently, is particular adoration that may be became championship glory.

io9 is happy to completely debut the primary trailer for Saber, a brand new documentary about aggressive lightsaber battling. Directed by Matthew Wiatt, the movie follows members of a gaggle known as the Saber Legion as they battle their approach in the direction of the lightsaber preventing world championships in Las Vegas, Nevada. The movie can have its world premiere in February on the 51st Boston Sci-Fi Movie Pageant, and it appears like a singular mix of an underdog sports activities story, inspirational actuality, and a heavy dose of hardcore Star Wars fandom. Test it out.

To accompany the trailer, io9 requested Wiatt a number of questions by way of e-mail concerning the movie, its manufacturing, and extra.

Germain Lussier, io9: How did you discover out about this world and resolve to make a documentary about it?

Matthew Wiatt: I first got here throughout the Saber Legion (TSL) by way of TikTok. The fight instantly grabbed me. It was aggressive, cinematic, and hit a powerful nostalgic chord. What actually stood out was the group behind it. After I attended my first occasion, it was clear this was about greater than a sport. Folks had been constructing an area centered on connection, assist, and belonging, and that felt like a narrative price telling.

io9: How did you discover the topics?

Wiatt: The primary video on TikTok I noticed was posted by Alec, so I reached out to him instantly. I used to be shocked to be taught he lived about an hour away, and he invited me to attend a TSL event being held in Orlando, FL. At that very same occasion, I additionally met Kat, who grew to become one other central voice within the movie.

io9: How lengthy have you ever been capturing, and the way lengthy did you shoot?

Wiatt: We shot over roughly three years. We accomplished post-production in the summertime of 2025.

io9: What was the most important problem in bringing this world to the large display?

Wiatt: It is a actually impartial movie, and with that come some actual challenges. Money and time are the apparent ones. I’m lucky to work with a manufacturing firm and crew who assist navigate these realities and absolutely consider within the mission. Creatively, the most important problem comes within the edit. We’re working with 10 to fifteen terabytes of footage and should form it right into a centered, character-driven 90-minute movie.

io9: What shocked you most about this world if you had been making the movie?

Wiatt: I used to be genuinely shocked by how open and welcoming the Saber Legion group is, particularly towards us as filmmakers. It’s by no means straightforward to observe individuals round with a digicam and microphone, but everybody was beneficiant with their time and belief. That generosity prolonged properly past the digicam. Since ending the movie, I’ve even began collaborating in TSL myself, and it’s been a blast to expertise the group from the within.

io9: Certainly Star Wars followers and non-fans alike can get pleasure from this, however how far more will a Star Wars fan get out of it?

Wiatt: Whether or not or not you’re a Star Wars fan, I hope the movie encourages individuals to search for communities and teams the place they really feel supported and accepted as they’re. At its core, Saber is about discovering connection, one thing lots of people really feel they’re lacking proper now. For Star Wars followers, there may be an added layer: visible nods, cultural references, and small Easter eggs drawn from Star Wars and broader nerd tradition are all through the movie.

For extra on Saber, visit its official site. 

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