Spellbound: Quest For The National Spelling Bee

Spellbound is a much celebrated 2002 documentary, nominated for an Academy Award and listed 4th in the IDA top 25 documentaries ever. The premise is simple, follow eight of the teen competitors in the American National Spelling Bee, a competition that tests the brightest kids spelling ability's. The kids must qualify from their schools then regional competitions before going to the high octane Scripps National spelling championships. The spelling Bee will be 110 years old this year (2015), during principle filming in 1999 among the past winners we meet the first ever winner from 1925 Frank Neuhauser.

In the documentary we see the time, work, frustration and pressure the kids endure in the quest to progress and have a shot at the nationals. But it's the pressure that makes you feel for them most, be it from Teachers, Family, themselves or the structure of the competition that seems organized to add to it. All from very different backgrounds brought together because they can spell words they often don't understand, Film Maker Jeffrey Blitz who later would go on to direct The Office created a gem that can leave viewers Spellbound.