Battle of The Brains

Australia / 2007 / Daniella Ortega / 4 x 26'30" mins

Battle of the Brains is a four-part documentary series which tells the story of a unique group of brilliant teenage students, working towards competing against the best science scholars in the world at the International Science Olympiads held in Beijing, China. The 24 young biologists work their way through the equivalent of a first year university biology course in 16 days. Only four will be selected from this group to travel to China to compete in the International Biology Olympiads. Youth and science come together in a competition of global proportions. The students are both vulnerable and inspiring as they let us in on their journey towards the International Biology Olympiad, but also into their lives, realities, dreams and fears. From Perry, the 13-year-old child prodigy whose obsession with fungi and encyclopaedic knowledge makes him a top contender for selection into the team to 17-year-old Heli, “tween actress” from the popular series “The Saddle Club” who dreams about following in the footsteps of Nicole Kidman but whose passion for biology may take her towards a different direction in the future, Battle of the Brains is one of television’s best offerings to have arrived this year. Perfectly suited to primetime family viewing, Battle of the Brains is in the tradition of a recent string of popular successes about kids “n” competitions such as Spellbound and Mad Hot Ballroom.