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It is well known that there were many facets to the Cold War US-USSR rivalry. the Korean war, the Space Race and Fischer v. Spassky all became symbolic of the larger ideological struggle. Red Army, a cracking new documentary from Gabe Polsky, explores something more niche: the battle for dominance on the ice hockey rink.

The film follows the USSR’s ice hockey team through the 1980s, as they became, in the words of one commentator, “the greatest team in the history of the sport”. Polsky has managed to interview several key players of the time, notably defenseman Viacheslav “Slava” Fetisov. Fetisov and his teammates recall in great detail the brutal training regimes they were made to undergo, as well as the importance that was placed on their success – they were, after all, not merely playing for themselves, but fighting to demonstrate that the socialist way of life was superior.

The film works spectacularly well on many levels. As a sports film, it does not shy away from tactical analysis. The Soviets revolutionised the game, pioneering a more fluid, flexible style based around frequent passes. this was in sharp contrast to the US game which required physical strength and brutality. The Soviets’ focus on tactics was such that chess champions such as Anatoly Karpov were drafted in to give strategic advice to the team.

The internal politics of the team make for riveting drama. Viktor Tikhonov was appointed coach at the end of the 70s, despite being reviled by the players. After the USSR’s loss to the USA in the “Miracle on Ice” at the 1980 Olympics, he intensified the training schedule and prevented the players from seeing their families for months at a time. Fetisov recalls being abused both verbally and physically by Tikhonov, but being unable to speak out for fear of retribution from the regime.

Many other things are touched upon, yet the film is barely 80 minutes long. Such economy of storytelling is rare in both documentaries and narrative features, and we never feel that Polsky is sacrificing depth for brevity. In a fantastic year for documentaries (Amy, Best of Enemies), this surely ranks among the best.

Red Army is currently showing at the IFI.