Olympics: Five Incredible Stories that Made it to the Movies

One of the biggest sports festivals that is capable of uniting hundreds of countries from all over the world is, without a doubt, the Olympic Games . It is during this event when thousands of athletes demonstrate their passion, dedication and values to represent their country in the best way and, thus, become a symbol of national pride. Their triumphs, their defeats, but above all, their stories, are capable of moving millions of hearts to the point of reaching movie theaters.

Under this premise, and with the intention of lighting the Olympic flame in each one of us, we have selected five films for you to enjoy alongside the expected Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (played in 2021) . All these stories that you will see below were based on real events that have arisen throughout the Olympic event, and that in one way or another marked an era in humanity.

Chariots of Fire

In 1981 this British production was released, directed by Hugh Hudson and which tells the story of two athletes who were present at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games: Eric Liddell , a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams , an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice. The film was nominated for seven Oscars and won four , including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

On the one hand, Liddell was characterized as an exceptional athlete. In these Olympics he won the gold medal in the 400 meter dash . In turn, Abrahams was also a moving character despite the fact that he did not feel the support of his country for his religious bealives. However, he showed his running skills and hung the gold medal in the 100 meters.

Munich

The sports world wore mourning during the 1972 Olympic Games – held in Munich – after a terrorist attack that claimed the lives of eleven members of Israel's Olympic team , who were taken hostage and later killed by a faction of the Organization for the Liberation of Palestine. The events in the film occur in the months after the massacre, when a Mossad command ordered an Israeli secret agent to find and assassinate eleven Palestinian members of that organization.

The film was released in 2005 and was directed by Steven Spielberg, who was based on the book "Vengeance" (1984) which recounts what happened during the retaliatory operations carried out by the Israeli government. In total, it received five award nominations Oscars , despite not winning any statuettes. Part of the cast was in charge of actors Eric Bana and Daniel Craig.

Also read: These Are the 5 Most Nominated Series For the 2021 Emmy Awards

Foxcatcher

From the director of another great sports movie like Moneyball , Bennett Miller, tell what happened to Olympic medalist Mark Schultz in a movie released in 2014. The film participated in the Cannes Film Festival and won an award for Best Director , in addition to receiving five Academy Award nominations. Likewise, it should be noted that part of the cast was led by actors Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo.

Here, the plot tells us what Schultz had to go through once he met John du Pont, a billionaire who asked him to help him set up an Olympic wrestling training camp with a view to the 1988 Seoul Olympics . However, as the years went by, it was discovered that in reality du Pont was not who he appeared to be and that had dire consequences. It is worth noting that both Mark and his brother Dave had won gold at the 1984 Olympics.

The Gabby Douglas Story

Director Gregg Champion decided to bring to the big screen the story of one of the great American gymnasts of the last decade: Gabrielle Douglas . And it is that just two years after her great participation in the London 2012 Olympic Games, where she won two gold medals (for team and individual). The movie tells the beginning and development of this athlete who at 16 years of age she became the first black girl to win the individual Olympic artistic gymnastics event .

The film shows us how many things Gabby had to overcome in order to become an international star in her discipline, including leaving home at 14 to fulfill a dream she had had from a very young age. His life is a clear example of how effort, perseverance and dedication to a sport can bear fruit. This production stars Imani Hakim, as Gabby; Brian Tee, as coach Liang Chow; and Regina King, as Gabby's mother.

Race

It is probably the most shocking and moving story to ever occur at an Olympic Games. In 1936 the world met Jesse Owens, one of the most talented track and field athletes of the 20th century and who was able to win four gold medals (100 m, 200 m, long jump and relay race) at the event held in Berlin under the gaze of Adolf Hitler himself. Being a person of color, Owens had to endure racism, segregation and discrimination , not only from Nazi Germany but also in the United States.

The film was released in 2016 under the direction of Stephen Hopkins and starring Stephan James as Owens. The reception was quite positive according to the specialized portals and raised almost 25 million dollars at the theaters. It is worth mentioning that the production was supported by the athlete's family and the Jesse Owens Foundation.