One of my favorite places to be is in a movie theater. That might sound funny coming from a sports writer, but while I love sports, I really love movies. So why not combine them and talk about sports films and sports film festivals?
There are some great sports movies on the big screen, but you can also find some even more at film festivals. There are film festivals that are geared just to sports films, so if you have a chance, check these out. I’ve seen some of my favorite films at film festivals.
Women Sports Film Festival: The Women Sports Film Festival celebrates female athletes and the filmmakers who bring their stories to the screen. From legendary champions to girls on the local playing field, this film festival explores how sport shapes the lives of women and girls around the world. The second annual Women Sports Film Festival will be held September 28 – 30th in Oakland, California.
Canadian Sport Film Festival: Held in Toronto and Winnipeg, the Canadian Sport Film Festival (CSFF) brings together the theater of sport and the medium of film to tell unique, provocative and passionate human stories from around the world. The Canadian Sport Film Festival was conceptualized and founded by Russell Field an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba, where he teaches the course “Sport, Film, and Society.”
Last year, there were some great films on the agenda, including Fighting for Peace and Sully’s. Fighting for Peace, two young boxers living in one of Rio’s most violent and poorest slums are on a quest to become national champions. With one having lost a sister to addiction, and the other as sole provider for his mother and seven siblings, the film looks at what it takes to be a winner.
Sully’s – As one of Toronto’s most legendary boxing gyms, Sully’s served as a training home of Nicky Furlano, George Chuvalo and even Muhammad Ali. Viewers learned more about the man behind the beloved boxing institution.
Oaxaca Sports Film Festival: Held in Mexico in June, this sports film festival is dedicated to promoting the finest independent sports films that create memorable portraits of athletic heroes and stories of triumph. During the film festival they also host conferences about filmmaking, Q and A’s with the filmmakers, VIP parties, red carpets, and more.
Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival: The tenth annual Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival was held last year and included a Gala screening and world premiere of the documentary This Magic Moment chronicling the 1990s Orlando Magic dynasty headlined by superstars Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. Seven feature films were part of the Festival, the premiere outlet to showcase independent films that focus on sports and competition. The information on this year’s festival hasn’t been released yet – but I’ll keep you updated when it does, but this is one of the best film festivals out there, so be sure to check it out.
Speaking of amazing film festivals, the Sundance Film Festival is one of the best as well and at this year’s event is the world premiere of ICARUS, a sports documentary directed by Bryan Fogel. When Fogel sets out to uncover the truth about doping in sports, a chance meeting with a Russian scientist transforms his story from a personal experiment into a geopolitical thriller involving dirty urine, unexplained death and Olympic Gold—exposing the biggest scandal in sports history.
Many film festivals that aren’t specifically just about sports also have sports categories, so if there’s a film festival near you see if they have sports films too. For example, the 2017 Yosemite Film Festival offers a sports track and the SXSW Film Festival offers a three-day track that tackles the future of sport in all its forms, from a cultural and technological perspective while exploring a diverse range of topics encompassing all sports across all levels of play.
Can’t make it to a film festival? Try services like Amazon Prime and Netflix for some great sports films and documentary selections.
