The list of finalist projects for the 2025 International Sport Film Festival has been officially announced. Here are all the films competing for the Golden Runner.
International Sport Film Festival – 2025 finalists
After Dive – Una vita in sincro
- Original title: After Dive – Una vita in sincro
- Running time: 01:06:01
- Nationality:
Italy - Sport featured: Synchronized diving
- With: Tania Cagnotto, Francesca Dallapè
A documentary following champions Tania Cagnotto and Francesca Dallapè as they return to synchronized diving after motherhood, amid training, family life and the difficulties of the pandemic.
ALLEZ HOP!
- Original title: ALLEZ HOP!
- Running time: 00:12:57
- Nationality:
Netherlands - Sport featured: Cycling
- With: Els Dottermans, Teddy Cherim
Karina, 55, tries to encourage her father, who has dementia, during the Tour de France, but an awkward gesture causes an accident; a short film reflecting on human error and the ferocity of media judgement.
Au Cœur des Jeux
- Original title: Au Cœur des Jeux
- Running time: 01:47:00
- Nationality:
France - Sport featured: Olympics (multiple disciplines
- With: Jules Naudet, Gédéon Naudet, Tony Estanguet
Jules and Gédéon Naudet’s documentary uses exclusive access and no voice-over to tell the behind-the-scenes story of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, following the Opening Ceremony and 29 emotional days among athletes, organisers, volunteers and a Paris that is itself a protagonist.
Behind the Dream – Federica
- Original title: Behind the Dream – Federica
- Running time: 00:10:00
- Nationality: Italy
- Sport featured: Motocross
- With: Federica Sezzi, Ruben Fernandez, Team HRC
An episode of the HRC series “Behind the Dream”, dedicated to Federica Sezzi, a mechanic in the MXGP World Championship, recounting her success in a traditionally male environment.
Born Racer
- Original title: Born Racer
- Running time: 00:16:00
- Nationality:
China - Sport featured: Go-kart
A student documentary following Daniel’s professional national go-kart race in Zhuzhou, China, recounting the adrenaline and discipline needed to emerge.
CAM1L0
- Original title: CAM1L0
- Running time: 00:03:22
- Nationality:
Argentina - Sport featured: Football
- With: Diego Maradona
On his way to work, Camilo passes Diego Maradona murals and finds in his memories the strength to face the day.
Correr com Tiago
- Original title: Correr com Tiago
- Running time: 00:34:00
- Nationality: Francia
- Sport featured: Running
A documentary about Tiago, a non-professional runner from Serra Grande (Bahia), balancing competitive training and a passion for running while becoming a role model for young people in the community.
CSEREBOGARAK – Fledglings Series (episodi 6 e 7)
- Original title: CSEREBOGARAK – Fledglings Series (episodi 6 e 7)
- Running time: 00:08:20 ad episodio
- Nationality:
Hungary - Sport featured: Football, Water polo
- With: Gyula Grosics, Dénes Kemény
Two episodes of the Hungarian animated series “Fledglings”, telling the origins of future Olympic champions Gyula Grosics, football’s “Black Panther”, and Dénes Kemény, the legendary national water-polo coach, through stories of talent, passion and sporting development.
Dreams on Wheels
- Original title: Dreams on Wheels
- Running time: 00:07:00
- Nationality:
Germany - Sport featured: Wheelchair basketball
- With: Bo, Paul, Anton Geretzki, Christopher Henseler
A documentary short following Bo, a wheelchair basketball player, and his coach Paul in their daily journey to improve and pursue their sporting dream.
Trailer: 1d3f52c2-DreamsOnWheels_Intro_dapcloud.tv.mp4
Het Spel van Tao
- Original title: Het Spel van Tao
- Running time: 00:11:07
- Nationality: Netherlands
- Sport featured: Table tennis
- With: Bettine Vriesekoop, Esther Pardijs
In Esther Pardijs’s film, Dutch multiple champion Bettine Vriesekoop explains how to apply Tao principles to excel without abuse of power in elite sport.
Invasion of Qatar
- Original title: Invasion of Qatar
- Running time: 01:15:40
- Nationality:
Canada - Sport featured: Football
- With: Alastair Forbes, Heather Marie Annis, Greg Crompton
A Canadian comic mockumentary following Alax Frobez at the football World Cup in Qatar, between attempts to invade the pitch and a satire of the contradictions of mega sporting events and human-rights abuses.
It’s Not Just a Ride Home
- Original title: Out of Bounds – PSA Series (#WeRideTogether): It’s Not Just a Ride Home / W.T.F. – Wait,That’s Fair? / Life Sentence / Stop Asking
- Running time: 00:01:42 · 00:01:00 · 00:01:00 · 00:00:41
- Nationality:
United States
Four micro-PSAs from #WeRideTogether’s “Out of Bounds” series giving voice to survivors: an everyday situation as a metaphor for society’s inadequate responses, a diner scene highlighting a lack of empathy, a rock representing the weight of trauma, and an invitation to move from judgement to support.
JAI
- Original title: JAI
- Running time: 00:05:16
- Nationality: Italy
- Sport featured: Muay thai
Two friends, Juan and Daniele, prepare for a muay thai match; when the coach chooses only one of them, a secret puts their friendship to the test. Trailer: 720_2200.mp4
KICKOFF
- Original title: KICKOFF
- Running time: 01:17:00
- Nationality: Germany – Spain
- Sport featured: Football
- With: Roser Corella, Stefano Obino
A documentary about Gazi, in a Kyrgyz village, who organises a women’s football tournament challenging tradition and prejudice, telling a story of resilience and empowerment.
King of the Mountains
- Original title: King of the Mountains
- Running time: 01:22:00
- Nationality:
Australia - Sport featured: Running
- With: William Corlett, Romain Mongin
A documentary shot in the Blue Mountains: ultramarathon runner William Corlett attempts 500 km in seven days to raise funds for Lifeline Australia, exploring mental health, resilience and extreme nature.
La Mélodie du Vestiaire
- Original title: La Mélodie du Vestiaire
- Running time: 00:08:40
- Nationality: Francia
- Sport featured: Boxe
- With: Freddy Kemayo
Minutes before an important bout, a young boxer prepares in the changing room in a kind of ritual choreography, where every gesture becomes decisive.
La Santa di Brooklyn
- Original title: La Santa di Brooklyn
- Running time: 01:12:00
- Nationality: Italy
- Sport featured: Boxe
- With: Ulisse Lendaro, Jitendra Mishra, Giannandrea Pecorelli, Chiara Dituri
A documentary about Chiara, an Italian-American boxer from New York’s Gleason’s Gym, who after a serious accident finds in faith the strength to be reborn and fight again, making her way through the streets of Brooklyn.
Peligro No Asomarse
- Original title: Peligro No Asomarse
- Running time: 00:48:00
- Nationality:
Spagna - Sport featured: Highline
A 48-minute documentary exploring the highline community in northern Spain; Daniel Cascales Granados’s first work, premiered in Spain at the BBK Bilbao’s Mountain Film Festival.
Quando passa l’uragano
- Original title: Quando passa l'uragano
- Running time: 01:26:00
- Nationality: Italy
- Sport featured: Calcio, Ippica
- With: Luciano Gaucci, Alessandro Gaucci, Riccardo Gaucci, Perugia Calcio
A portrait of Luciano Gaucci and the rise and fall of Perugia Calcio: between a horse empire, disappointing footballers, fraud and financial collapse, told by his sons Alessandro and Riccardo and those who knew him closely.
Quarshie
- Original title: Quarshie
- Running time: 00:12:40
- Nationality:
Egitto - Sport featured: Football
- With: Emanuel Quarshie, Omar Shama, Yara Goubran
On arriving in Egypt to play for Zamalek, Emanuel Quarshie faces his teammates’ hostility and promises to prove his worth, especially to the captain.
Run Again
- Original title: Run Again
- Running time: 01:05:00
- Nationality: Francia
- Sport featured: Running, ultramarathon
- With: Dave Pen, Archive
Run Again is a documentary directed by Alexis Berg following Dave Pen, singer of English band Archive, as he confronts a personal and artistic crisis after years away from the stage because of Covid. Seeking rebirth, he decides to take part in the Spine Race, one of the world’s toughest endurance events. Through extreme landscapes and introspection, the film explores the connection between music, sport and human resilience.
STREETBALL: The Untold Stories of Basketball Stars
- Original title: STREETBALL: The Untold Stories of Basketball Stars
- Running time: 00:40:24
- Nationality: United States
- Sport featured: Street basketball
A documentary series exploring American street basketball, telling the lives, challenges and passion of some of the most iconic figures on US playgrounds.
Syncopation
- Original title: Syncopation
- Running time: 00:20:00
- Nationality:
Russian Federation - Sport featured: Ballet
After eight years of ballet school, a young dancer faces mounting pressure and an inner conflict, forced to choose between someone else’s dream and her own truth.
Temps Mort
- Original title: Temps Mort
- Running time: 01:21:14
- Nationality: Spagna
- Sport featured: Basketball
- With: Charles Thomas, Félix Colomer
Time Out (original title Temps Mort) is a documentary directed by Félix Colomer reconstructing the mysterious disappearance of Charles Thomas, former Barça basketball star and the Spanish league’s leading scorer in the late 1960s. Through interviews and a personal investigation, it reveals what really happened to the man who “knew how to fly”, between sporting myth and human tragedy.
The Fencer
- Original title: The Fencer
- Running time: 00:13:30
- Nationality: United States
- Sport featured: Fencing
- With: Russo Brothers, AGBO, Ray Abruzzo, Bear D’Angelo
A young fencer, driven by her coach father, suffers a serious injury and must choose between longevity and sporting legacy in a short film inspired by a true story.
The Madmen Coach
- Original title: The Madmen Coach
- Running time: 00:57:00
- Nationality: Italy – Senegal
- Sport featured: Football
- With: Malick Biteye
A documentary about Senegal’s first national football team for people with mental health conditions, led by Malick Biteye from Dakar to its first international match against Italy in Rome.
UNBOUND
- Original title: UNBOUND
- Running time: 00:13:12
- Nationality: Italy
- Sport featured: Powerlifting
- With: Hind, Andrea Longhin
A documentary short about Hind’s journey as the first Italian powerlifter admitted to a national competition while wearing a hijab, amid dedication, discipline and redemption.