Classic film telling in flashbacks the true story of two British sprinters, one a devout Scottish missionary who runs for God, the other a Jewish student at Cambridge who runs for fame and to escape prejudice, and their competition leading up to and including the 1924 Olympics. (Recommended by Colleen Hacker)
Emmanuel's Gift (2006)
Narrated by Oprah Winfrey, Emmanuel's Gift tells the story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah who was born in Ghana with a severely deformed right leg. His father abandoned him, his village dismissed him, and many thought him better off dead. His quest for a bicycle followed by a 600 kilometer ride across Ghana brought attention to the plight of the disabled, made him a hero, and changed the views of the disabled in his country. (Recommended by Colleen Hacker)
Endurance (2000)
A film about the Ethiopian distance runner Haile Gebrselassie, who grew up under an oppressive regime in Ethiopia' rural countryside, and went on to win a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The film is a dramatization, although it appears to be a documentary, and includes many scenes of Ethiopia illustrating how this son of a farmer became one of the greatest runners of all times. (Recommended by Colleen Hacker)
Joyeux Noel (2005) [French and English with subtitles]
Joyeux Noel (Merry Christmas), an unusual war film about WWI, was an Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee for Best Foreign Film. It relates the story of a real event, when on Christmas Eve Scottish, French and German troops in the trenches of World War I spontaneously declared a truce and forgot about the brutalities of war, to play football (soccer), trade chocolates and Champaign, and show each other pictures of wives and families.
Kicking It (2008)
About the 2006 Homeless World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa. The film profiles seven of the 500 participants representing 48 countries in a sporting event that began in 2001 and five years later had 20,000 homeless people competing in street soccer teams. (Recommended by Heather Dewey)
The Spirit of the Marathon (2008)
The film follows six runners from various walks of life, amateurs and seasoned athletes alike, as they prepare for the Chicago Marathon. The Los Angeles Times said, "Even if you've never run for anything but a bus, you'll... get swept up in the movie's inspiring journey. (Recommended by Kyle Franklin)
Olympia (1938/2008)
The first documentary film of the Olympic Games by the controversial filmmaker and photographer, Leni Riefenstahl. Iinvited by Hitler to film the games Olympia glorifies the games and the athletes through unusual camera angles close up and moving cameras-all things one now takes for granted in filmmaking. Part 1 is the ‘Festival of nations" and Part 2 ‘Festival of Beauty.' The film contains famous footage of Jesse Owens and the Olympic ‘torch run' which Riefenstahl created for the film. It is interesting to watch in conjunction with her Triumph of the Will, considered by many to be one of the most important films ever made, because of the way it combines the strengths of both documentary and blind propaganda. Triumph of the Will, which records the 6th Nazi Party Congress at Nuremberg, helped launch Hitler to power. (Recommended by Neal Sobania)
The Cup (1999) [Hindi and Tibetan with English subtitles]
"Buddhism is their philosophy... soccer is their religion!" Filmed in Bhutan, The Cup tells how World Cup (football/ soccer) fever sweeps into a remote Himalayan monastery where young Tibetan refugee monks do everything they can to insure they watch the final match. Their actions pose a unique challenge to the venerable lamas in charge who find their centuries-old traditions threatened. "An inspiring tale of colliding cultures, midnight escapades and daring secret plots." (Recommended by Neal Sobania)