They do not earn millions, yet they are happy nonetheless: Maria Meissner (87), Josef “Sepp” Schmid (74), and Rudi Egerer (65) have spent most of their lives working for FC Bayern. Maria still cleanses the trophies nowadays, Sepp still washes and prepares the jerseys of the players in the basement, and Rudi is still the bus driver. They are simple people who may have access to the glamorous world of the big stars, but who never wanted to adapt to the ‘modern times’ unconditionally. They have remained side characters and experience their club from a special angle: Being witnesses of the development from a people’s sport to star cult and commercialisation.
Without a Fight is a feature length documentary film that explores how soccer can facilitate social change in Kibera, one of Africa's largest slums. Footage of violent clashes fueled by polarizing national presidential elections is intertwined with profiles of youth from different religious and ethnic backgrounds as they navigate daily life and prepare for the final championship soccer game of the season. The film provides a glimpse-often a very positive one-into an Africa few have seen. It attempts to break stereotypes associated with people who live in extreme poverty while depicting sports as a tool that could be used to prevent violence among at-risk youth. The film made its World Premiere at the 11 MM Festival in Berlin, Germany in March 2012 and its North American Premiere at the Full Frame Documentary Festival in Durham, NC in April 2012. - Written by Beth-Ann Kutchma
It is 1 p.m. on June 30, 1982, when Christophe Profit, 24, shows up at the foot of Les Drus with his pof bag, his climbing shoes and nothing else. He will try the west face of Les Drus in "solo", in the Mont Blanc massif by "Directe Américaine", 1100 meters of vertical and smooth rock. Christophe will achieve the feat of climbing the wall in free solo, without using a rope or any belaying technique. At 4:10 p.m., barely more than three hours after the start of his ascent, the new climbing star can embrace the Virgin of the Drus at the same time as the career of a high-level mountaineer. Three years later, on July 25, 1985, he climbed the north faces of the Matterhorn, the Eiger and the Jorasses in the same day. Awarded at many mountain film festivals, this great documentary is a magnificent testimony to one man's passion for climbing, the mountains and adventure.
Born on Halloween, 1935, Dale Brown's fight for justice began the day his father walked out - two days before he was born. About how an overachiever from tiny Minot, North Dakota relentlessly fought his way to the top.
Sally McRae took on her second 200 mile race with the goal to get the best out of herself, and to put herself out there for a podium position. This film follows the whole story of what it means to commit to finishing what you set out to do, and refusing to give up too early.
The TV Now documentary “King Klopp - Meistermacher, Motivator, Mensch” gives exciting insights into the life of football coach Jürgen Klopp. After 30 years, Klopp is finally leading Liverpool FC to the title again - fulfilling the dream of an entire generation of fans in a football-crazy city. How did Klopp develop from a second division player to a coaching legend? Contemporaries tell stories from the life of an extraordinary person who considers himself fairly normal.
Universally accepted as a true icon of the 20th century, Muhammad Ali’s phenomenal achievements spanned sport, politics and religion. One man – photographer William Klein had comprehensive access to the events that shaped Ali’s legend. In 1964, the young gregarious Cassius Clay successfully defeated the seemingly invincible Heavyweight Champion of the World Sonny Liston – the manner of Clay’s victory and his amazing persona made him an instant superstar. Through this incredible period, and Clay’s subsequent rematches with Liston, William Klein enjoyed unrivalled access top Clay’s camp – witnessing at first hand Cassius Clay becoming Muhammad Ali and angering the American people with his allegiance to Islam. Forward to Zaire 1974, and the return of Muhammad Ali to the world stage to face another invincible champion George Foreman. As Ali reclaimed the crown for a second time, Klein was ever present, capturing the full story at close quarter.
"For the sake of the neighborhood, for the sake of the children of the neighborhood. lets go Bnei Yehuda ." There are films that cannot be forgotten, that have become the soundtrack of Israeli football. One of them is "Shomrim Al H'tikva", which accompanied Bnei Yehuda in the survival campaign in 2000. Shia Feigenbaum, Yossi Medar, Hezi Shirazi and others on a heroic journey in the Hatikva neighborhood. 40 minutes of a cult film, which every Israeli football fan must see.
Eric Escoffier, la Fureur de Vivre
The story of Freestyle Motocross legend Travis Pastrana is told through action-packed race footage, rare personal film, interviews with Pastrana and his family, and much more.
In the 1990s, Lee Priest was once a young, extremely talented, and promising professional bodybuilder heading straight for champion status and success. He was also an outspoken and blunt personality that broke many of the rules set by the professional bodybuilding league. After many fines and suspensions, Priest received a lifetime ban from professional bodybuilding. He has since made it his mission to speak his truth regarding the sport of bodybuilding and the professional league - earning him a label as the dark horse of bodybuilding. For the first time ever, discover the life story and details of how Lee Priest went from bodybuilding's future to bodybuilding's rebel.
Produced by NHL Productions, the film unveils the emotional roller coaster, major in-season acquisitions and thrilling on-ice competition on the Panthers’ journey to becoming the seventh team in NHL history to win consecutive titles. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice gets the star treatment as he leads his team through the drama and intensity of a second straight Stanley Cup Final series against the Edmonton Oilers. With exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage, mic’d up moments throughout the rivalry and sit-down interviews with powerhouse players Seth Jones, Brad Marchand, Evan Rodrigues, Sam Reinhart and more, the show gives fans a firsthand look at the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions.
A documentary about the 2001 World Series.
The story of the one of the most distinctive and storied championships in the world of sports entertainment and the men who held it.
A chronology of the 1976 Paris-Roubaix bicycle race from the perspective of participants, organizers and spectators.
Lionel Rose, Australia's first Aboriginal world champion boxing hero - the man behind the myth
In 1954, before his senior year of high school, Wilt Chamberlain took a summer job that would change his life, working as a bellhop at Kutsher's Country Club, a Jewish resort in the Catskill Mountains. An unexplored and pivotal chapter in the life of one of basketball's greatest players, and a fascinating glimpse of a time when a very different era of basketball met the Borscht Belt in its heyday.
What if you temporarily took leave from the safety of everyday life to battle through a challenge that scares you? What if your only worries were riding, finding food and water and a place to sneak a few hours of sleep? What if you forgot your self-imposed limits just to see what you were truly capable of for once? What if you were a racer at heart? Why wouldn't you want to take on the toughest races on the planet?
This film is an intimate and moving cinematic record of Shohei Ohtani's journey to MLB stardom. A faithful portrait of his talent development and battle with injuries, and his unique mindset to become a superstar ballplayer breaking all the barriers of race, language, discipline, and culture.
Strength Wars: The Movie follows the lives of eight athletes preparing for the ultimate strength competition. The prize? To be labeled the strongest man in the world. Putting two different types of athletes against each other, Strength Wars is the ultimate proving ground to test any given athlete's true strength. Eight athletes. Eight athletic disciplines. One winner. The film highlights eight men from across the globe including Larry Wheels, Terron Beckham, Blaine Sumner, NDO Champ, Big Neechi, Jerry Pritchett, Anabolic Horse, and Leonidas Arkona. Welcome to Strength Wars. May the best man win.