How can you improve your Paris 2024 Olympic Games summer experience? With a collection of sports movies featuring Olympic sports to watch after every session, of course.
From a hilarious French comedy about artistic swimming to an anime-infused documentary about a legendary volleyball team, we have ten sports movies to help you find the perfect cinematographic companions for your Olympic viewing throughout the summer.
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Athlete A (Gymnastics)
Both a disturbing dive into the toxicity of USA Gymnastics and an outstanding journalistic achievement, Athlete A documents the decades of sexual abuse perpetrated by Larry Nassar, the team doctor of the US women’s gymnastics teams. Directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk reveal the numerous machinations that allowed for such unspeakable acts to happen, from separating the young athletes from their parents to emotional manipulation. Furthermore, the film also shows the power of journalism to dig deep into the origins of horror to fight for justice and create real change.
Dive (Diving)
Karla Souza won an Emmy for her powerhouse performance in this sports drama inspired by real events. She plays Mariel, a veteran diver whose Olympic training is interrupted when her longtime coach is accused of sexual abuse by the mother of Nadia, Mariel’s young diving partner. This awakens her own troubled memories of abuse, but with her Olympic dream on the line, will she step up to protect Nadia?
What Dive excels at is its portrayal of grooming and power dynamics. Lucía Puenzo’s smart direction creates an oppressive atmosphere to depict how vulnerable athletes are and how some survivors are forced to simply live a life of trauma and self-doubt while the perpetrators, always protected by the patriarchal system, effortlessly continue their endless cycle of abuse.
Free Solo (Sport Climbing)
Sport Climbing is one of the coolest new events at the Olympics (it will make its second appearance in Paris 2024), so if you want to hype yourself and get in the climbing mood, there’s no better film than the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo.
Of course, free soloing is very different than the climbing we see at the Olympics. In fact, it’s pretty insane: there are no ropes or protective equipment here. One of the most prominent free soloists in the world is Alex Honnold, whose attempt at climbing the highly dangerous El Capitan, a 3,000 feet vertical rock formation, was captured by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi in a breathtaking documentary that, before the terrifying climb itself, takes its time to delve into the mind of Honnold to show us his preparation, his mindset, and the true meaning of his accomplishment. It’s riveting stuff.
Lift Like a Girl (Weightlifting)
For years, a charismatic coach known as “Captain” Ramadan used his modest street gym to train weightlifting champions in Egypt. The wonderful Lift Like a Girl follows one of Ramadan’s last pupils, Asmaa Ramadan, aka Zebiba (Arabic for “raisin”), as she prepares to be Egypt’s next big weightlifting star. Through the intimate observation of a larger-than-life coach and his unorthodox relationship with a promising young pupil, director Mayye Zayed delivers an inspiring tale of women’s fortitude, a celebration of teachers everywhere, and a testament to the power of perseverance.
Mid90s (Skateboarding)
If you don’t like the Olympic skateboarding program (which admittedly could be much more exciting), you can make up for the disappointment by watching the charming Mid90s, Jonah Hill’s directorial debut about a 13-year-old kid (Sunny Suljic) with a troubled home life who finds a new purpose in a new group of skater friends.
With the aid of an immersive 1990s Los Angeles setting, a cool soundtrack, and the authenticity of its characters, this lighthearted coming-of-age explores the dynamics of toxic masculinity in teenagers. It’s a slice of life full of energy, street smarts, and nostalgic vibes that understand how important the “coolness” factor can feel during adolescence.
Nadia, Butterfly (Swimming)
This elegant psychologic life portrait of an elite athlete follows Nadia (brilliantly performed by former Olympic swimmer Katerine Savard), a 23-year-old swimmer on the verge of retirement. This is the story of a woman finding herself after the world she poured herself into throughout pretty much her entire life comes to an end. After swimming, what’s next?
She’s in the process of grieving, and director Pascal Plante lets us into her state of mind through an intimate approach that often feels like non-fiction: We accompany her as she roams the streets of Tokyo, sings karaoke, and even participates in an “Olympic” orgy (it’s great to see a piece of media that finally acknowledges these much-talked-about orgies). It’s like a coming-of-age break-up movie about someone learning to get a foothold in this new chapter of her life, one that is far away from her longest relationship yet: competition.
The Novice (Rowing)
Set in the intense world of college rowing, The Novice is a thriller about competition and obsession, often compared with Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash. Isabelle Fuhrman (The Orphan) gives a ferocious performance as Alex, a freshman determined to be the best rower on campus, even if that means alienating everyone around her and destroying her body. Where does this obsession come from? What’s its origin? Director Lauren Hadaway explores these questions through a layered psychological portrait that, besides Fuhrman’s award-winning work, features relentless pace, inventive cinematography, outstanding sound design, and Alex Weston’s amazing score (courtesy of Alex Weston) that you will want to use for inspiration during your most grueling workouts.
Sink or Swim (Artistic Swimming)
Even though Paris 2024 was the first time male athletes were allowed to participate in an Olympic artistic swimming event, none made the cut. Well, there’s a way you can still see men perform amazing dance sequences underwater this summer: in Gilles Lellouche’s Sink or Swim.
There’s a catch, though: all of these men are going through some sort of midlife crisis: we have a depressed father who spends his time playing Candy Crush, a failed businessman, and an aging rocker, to name a few characters. As you may expect, they all find a new purpose through artistic swimming and, most importantly, community. You will have a blast with this charming crowdpleaser that features a murderer’s row of talent in its cast: Mathieu Amalric, Virginie Efira, Leïla Bekhti, Philippe Katerine, Benoît Poelvoorde, and Noée Abita.
The Witches of the Orient (Volleyball)
Get ready for some volleyball action by delving into the history of one of the sports’ most legendary teams: the Oriental Witches, a Japanese squad composed of factory workers that conquered the 1964 Olympics, went undefeated for 258 games, and inspired numerous manga and anime series. But The Witches of the Orient isn’t a straightforward retelling of their career.
Besides interviews with the surviving members of the squad and eye-popping graphics, director Julien Faraut and editor Andreï Bogdanov combine archival footage of the Oriental Witches games with scenes from the hugely popular Attack No.1 anime to create an exhilarating piece of non-fiction cinema that seamlessly expresses the enormous influence this team had in popular culture.
Zero to Hero (Track)
Although rather conventional in its biographical approach, Zero to Hero is a moving and finely acted biopic about the life and career of 6-time Paralympic champion So Wa-wai, from his cerebral palsy diagnosis at birth to his historic Beijing 2008 track performance. With strong performances by Leung Chung-Hang, Sandra Ng, and the ever-charismatic Louis Cheung, the film shines brighter in its third act, when it reflects on society’s inequality and its treatment of disabled people.
What Olympic sport will you be watching? What other Olympic sports movies would you include in this list? Let us know on our social media.
