Kaupo Kruusiauk examines the drive for self-improvement

Director Kaupo Kruusiauk says he is interested in why people want to become better than they already are. He discussed his new documentary, Coaching for an Ordinary Person, on Vikerraadio, ERR reported.

The film opens in cinemas on October 9. Kruusiauk spent four years following people who sought coaching for different reasons. His interest in the subject began with psychology, and he has also started studying the subject at the University of Tartu, though he said his studies are progressing slowly.

“I’m interested in why it is important for people to become even better when they are already good,” he said, adding that interest in such topics is a strong trend in society. He said many people have encountered coaching to some extent and have views on it.

Kruusiauk said he did not approach the film entirely ironically, and aimed to observe the subject from a balanced perspective rather than offer a direct judgment. The documentary contains both humour and sadness, he said. The people he followed found the process supportive, though he noted that exploitation is also part of the coaching world.

He said people can be satisfied with a small change, while expecting a huge transformation can lead to disappointment. He also noted that people who begin coaching often later want to become coaches themselves. Many people who seek coaching on financial success, he said, are aiming for financial freedom.

Finding participants took time. Kruusiauk also took part in a coaching session with coach Karmo Kivi.

Kruusiauk has previously made documentaries about tennis player Anett Kontaveit and musician Maria Faust. He said both films were successful in their own ways: the film about Faust received an award, while the Kontaveit documentary drew more than 11,000 viewers and was the most-watched documentary of its time.