A retired Canadian professional wrestler from a very famous family recounts an amazing life in the ring and discovers an unexpected new family connection.
Olympia: Part One – Festival of the Nations (1938)
Commissioned to make a propaganda film about the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, director Leni Riefenstahl created a celebration of the human form. This first half of her two-part film opens with a renowned introduction that compares modern Olympians to classical Greek heroes, then goes on to provide thrilling in-the-moment coverage of some of the games' most celebrated moments, including African-American athlete Jesse Owens winning a then-unprecedented four gold medals.
Olympia: Part Two – Festival of Beauty (1938)
Commissioned to make a propaganda film about the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, director Leni Riefenstahl created a celebration of the human form. Where the two-part epic's first half, Festival of the Nations, focused on the international aspects of the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, part two, The Festival of Beauty, concentrates on individual athletes such as equestrians, gymnasts, and swimmers, climaxing with American Glenn Morris' performance in the decathalon and the games' majestic closing ceremonies.
Jesse Owens Returns to Berlin (1966)
The rise of National Socialism in Germany and Hitler’s anti-semitic policies and advocation of the superiority of the Aryan race resulted in several calls for a boycott of the games. Against this political backdrop, Jesse Owens’ haul of four gold medals is all the more significant. For a black athlete to demonstrate clearly his superior athleticism and so convincingly outperform his white counterparts was a massive slap in the face for Hitler and made a mockery of his racist theories during his Nazi showpiece games. Standing in the box at the Olympiastadion where Hitler sat to watch the games, Jesse Owens tells with pride that the flag of the US team was the only one not to be dipped as the athletes passed the Führer. (andberlin.com)
Keep It a Secret: The Story of the Dawn of Surfing in Ireland (2021)
In the early 1970s, the world-class waves of Ireland were uncharted waters for the international surfing community. Amidst the ongoing conflict of the Troubles, pioneers in both Dublin and Belfast transcended political hostilities to host the 1972 Eurosurf championship. This look into the unsung history of the Emerald Isle’s now world-renowned surf scene details the power of sport to bridge any divide.
From Paseo To Pembroke: Kansas City's Golden Age (2021)
From Paseo to Pembroke is a Kansas City documentary retrospective on the golden age of high school basketball. From '88 to '98—from the Dotte all the way to Raytown. Told by the era's premier coaches, players and media personalities.
Aksel (2021)
After his serious fall in Kitzbühel, Aksel Lund Svindal decides to continue his career despite possible consequential damage. This documentary follows the last seasons of Aksel, his family and his team, with all the ups and downs of one of the best skiers of all time.
Make Us Dream (2018)
Steven Gerrard became perhaps the greatest player in the history of Liverpool FC, but did so when success and trophies were declining. It became his personal mission to lift the famous club back to the top. That loyalty raised him to God-like status with Liverpool fans, but was an unbearable burden, bringing with it a profound sense of responsibility to live up to their and his own expectations.
Wrestling (1961)
A candid-camera view of professional wrestling as seen in the Montréal Forum, where some of the biggest bouts are staged, and in back-street wrestling parlours where the warriors practice their art.
Thug Rose: Mixed Martial Artist (2022)
The inspiring journey of professional MMA fighter and two-time world champion Rose Namajunas. The film documents her circuitous path to success and spotlights Namajunas' rare combination of ferocity, artistry, and vulnerability.
Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story (2024)
Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story dives deep into the lives beyond the court of the next generation of basketball luminaries, Jonquel Jones, Nneka Ogwumike, and Breanna Stewart, as well as WNBA legend, Sheryl Swoopes. From intense off-season routines to the intricacies of family dynamics to navigating the politics of women's sports, this documentary offers viewers a rare, all-encompassing look at the athletes as holistic individuals.
France, Here We Come! (2000)
FRANKREICH WIR KOMMEN is a highly enjoyable documentary, obviously intended for TV, but showing at film festivals. It shows us the highlights of the 1998 World Cup Championships in France through the eyes of several interesting and diverse fans of the Austrian national team. Entertaining, even for those not interested in football.
Mete gol, gana (2008)
Jonathan and Romario are two Afro-Ecuadorian children from the Chota Valley, one of the poorest regions of Ecuador. Their fate can be one of two: to become world-class footballers like Ulises de la Cruz, Chucho Benitez and Antonio Valencia, or farmers like Darwin. This documentary reveals the lack of opportunities, discrimination, and economic and social segregation that black communities face in Ecuador.
Old Fashioned: The Story of the Wisconsin Supper Club (2015)
Supper club restaurants were the hot dinning trend in the mid twentieth century. They provided a place for people to spend their evenings enjoying cocktails, home cooked, high quality food and entertainment. The supper club scene slowly faded from the rest of the country, but kept a strong hold in Wisconsin due to a culture that allowed it to thrive. Around for decades, supper clubs in Wisconsin have been able to hold their own style and traditions. While chain restaurants continue to expand and threaten their future, supper clubs are fighting to survive while continuing to offer the same exceptional dinning experience and a personal touch that is not seen in the modern lifestyle of dine and dash. Old Fashioned: The Story of the Wisconsin Supper Club takes you into this uniquely Wisconsin institution.
Babushka (2021)
Twenty-five years after she moved away, Canadian filmmaker Kristina Wagenbauer (a participant in the 2019 Talent Lab) returns to her native Russia to visit her grandmother – her Babushka – with whom she spent part of her childhood, in this film brimming with tenderness and humour. The two women reflected in the mirror bear an undeniable resemblance, and each seeks to recognize herself in the other. Plumbing her memories, Wagenbauer hopes to re-establish a lost bond of intimacy and to confront the wounds of the past. Babushka has survived the Second World War, the break-up of the Soviet Union, the void that her daughter and granddaughter left behind when they moved abroad, and, more recently, the death of the love of her life. Despite all of this, she holds to life with a strong spirit of resilience.
Six Man (NaN)
During the 2012 season, two Montana High School teams compete in 6-man football, a smaller version of American football with increasing popularity in rural communities. It's pure football, for the sake of football, played by boys of all sizes and abilities, for themselves and for the communities who know them oh so well. No television timeouts. No place to sit. Six Man Football.
Germany: A Summer's Fairytale (2006)
A documentary of the German national soccer team’s 2006 World Cup experience that changed the face of modern Germany.