Sports film - Revision history

Bogdankdu: reworked article and fixed typos

2026-03-13T13:52:01Z

reworked article and fixed typos

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:22, 13 March 2026
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	{{short description\|Film genre}}		{{short description\|Film genre}}
	~~{{Expand French\|Sport et cinéma\|date=March 2015~~
	}}		A '''sports film''' is a [[film genre]] in which any particular [[sport]] plays a prominent role in the film's plot or acts as its central [[theme (arts)\|theme]]. It is a production in which a sport or a sports-related topic is prominently featured or is a focus of the plot. Despite this, sport is ultimately rarely the central concern of such films and sport performs primarily an allegorical role.<ref>{{Cite book\|title=Sport and Film\|last=Crosson\|first=Seán\|publisher=Routledge\|year=2013\|url=https://www.academia.edu/27935619\|isbn=9780415569934\|location=Abingdon, Oxon\|pages=60}}</ref> Furthermore, [[Fan (person)#Sports\|sports fan]]s are not necessarily the target demographic in such movies, but sports fans tend to maintain a high following and esteem for such movies.
	~~[[File:Sportsfilm.png\|thumb\|]]~~
	A '''sports film''' is a [[film genre]] ~~that uses~~ [[sport]] as ~~the~~ [[theme (arts)\|theme~~]] of the [[film~~]]. It is a production in which a sport~~, sporting event, athlete (and their sport),~~ or ~~follower of sport (and the sport they follow) are~~ prominently featured~~, and which depend on sport to~~ a ~~significant degree for their~~ plot ~~motivation or resolution~~. Despite this, sport is ultimately rarely the central concern of such films and sport performs primarily an allegorical role.<ref>{{Cite book\|title=Sport and Film\|last=Crosson\|first=Seán\|publisher=Routledge\|year=2013\|url=https://www.academia.edu/27935619~~/The_Sports_Film_Genre~~\|isbn=9780415569934\|location=Abingdon, Oxon\|pages=60}}</ref> Furthermore, [[Fan (person)#Sports\|sports fan]]s are not necessarily the target demographic in such movies, but sports fans tend to ~~have~~ a ~~large~~ following ~~or respect~~ for such movies.		== Early history ==
			Sources disagree on the first sports film. Short reels depicting unscripted matches were publicly shown as early as 1894, while scripted shorts depicting sports were shown by the end of the decade. The first feature-length sports films would not come until later. Many of the earliest sports films are considered [[Lost film\|lost]].

			The first known sports film was an 1894 reel depicting a [[boxing]] match between Michael Leonard and Jack Cushing, released just four months after the first [[movie house]] opened.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news \|title=Sport was Box-Office Poison \|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1969/09/15/sport-was-boxoffice-poison \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250520231153/https://vault.si.com/vault/1969/09/15/sport-was-boxoffice-poison \|archive-date=2025-05-20 \|access-date=2025-10-02 \|work=Sports Illustrated Vault {{!}} SI.com \|language=en-us}}</ref> Several other films depicting boxing matches were released in 1894.

			Some sources report [[The Ball Game\|''The Ball Game'']], directed by William Heise and produced and distributed by [[Thomas Edison\|Thomas Edison's]] [[Edison Manufacturing Company]], as the first sports film. The film, a short documentary, is a recording of an 1898 game between the [[Reading Coal Heavers]] and the [[Newark Bears]]. Edison produced a short film based on the poem "[[Casey at the Bat]]" the following year.<ref name=":0" />

			Sources differ as to the first feature-length sports film. 1913's ''The Lipton Cup'' is a feature-length drama centered on sailing.<ref>{{Citation \|title=The Lipton Cup: Introducing Sir Thomas Lipton \|date=1913-01-20 \|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0003070/ \|access-date=2025-10-02 \|publisher=Selig Polyscope Company}}</ref> 1915's [[Little Sunset\|''Little Sunset'']] was the first feature-length film depicting baseball.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=BoyActors - Little Sunset (1915) \|url=https://www.boyactors.org.uk/movie.php?ref=4685 \|access-date=2025-10-02 \|website=www.boyactors.org.uk}}</ref> The first feature-length [[biographical film]] depicting a sport was ''Right Off the Bat,'' released several months after ''Little Sunset'' (some sources claim that ''Right Off the Bat'' was the first feature-length sports film).<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Digital History \|url=https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/teachers/historyonline/sportsfilm.cfm \|access-date=2025-10-02 \|website=www.digitalhistory.uh.edu}}</ref> The film, directed by [[Hugh Reticker]], depicts the life of player [[Mike Donlin]]. Donlin appears as himself in the film.

			Despite their early popularity, sports films earned a reputation for frequent [[Box-office bomb\|box-office bombs]] and struggled to earn the support of large production companies after their popularity in the 1930s.<ref name=":0" />

	==Subgenres==		==Subgenres==
	~~[[File:Doubletime poster.jpg\|thumb\|Poster for the film ''Doubletime'' about jumping rope.]]~~
	Several sub-categories of sports films can be identified, although the delineations between these subgenres, much as in live action, are somewhat fluid.		Several sub-categories of sports films can be identified, although the delineations between these subgenres, much as in live action, are somewhat fluid.

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	Sports films tend to feature a more richly developed sport world, and may also be more player-oriented or thematically complex. Often, they feature a hero of adventure origins and a clear distinction between loss and victory set against each other in a play time struggle.		Sports films tend to feature a more richly developed sport world, and may also be more player-oriented or thematically complex. Often, they feature a hero of adventure origins and a clear distinction between loss and victory set against each other in a play time struggle.

			Thematically, the story is often one of "our team" versus "their team"; their team will always try to win, and our team will show the world that they deserve recognition or redemption; the story does not always have to involve a team. The story could also be about an individual athlete or the story could focus on an individual playing on a team.<ref>{{Cite journal \|last=Firestein \|first=David J. \|date=2007 \|title=Fields of Dreams: American Sports Movies \|journal=E Journal USA \|volume=12}}</ref>

	=== Sports comedy ===		=== Sports comedy ===
	Sports comedy combines the sports film genre with [[comedy film]] elements. ~~Thematically~~, ~~the story is often one~~ of ~~"Our Team" versus "Their Team"; their team will always try to win, and our team will show~~ the ~~world that~~ they ~~deserve recognition or redemption; the story does not always have~~ to ~~involve a team~~. Examples and staples of the genre include [[The Waterboy]], [[The Longest Yard (2005 film)]], [[Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby]], and [[Blades of Glory]]. <ref name=":1">{{Cite book\|last=Williams, Eric R.~~\|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/986993829~~\|title=Screen adaptation : beyond the basics : techniques for adapting books, comics, and real-life stories into screenplays\|others=Ayres, Tyler.\|isbn=978-1-315-66941-0\|location=New York\|oclc=986993829}}</ref>		Sports comedy combines the sports film genre with [[comedy film]] elements. Traditionally, these films heavily rely on slapstick humor and very physical comedy, such as someone getting hurt in a comical way. A typical storyline may revolve around someone losing sight of the sport they are playing and trying to get back into it.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2011-03-26 \|title=Sports \|url=https://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/991-sports/ \|access-date=2022-11-02 \|website=The Script Lab \|language=en-US\|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190629014820/https://thescriptlab.com/screenplay/genre/991-sports/\|archive-date=2019-06-29}}</ref> Examples and staples of the genre include ''[[The Waterboy]]'', [[The Longest Yard (2005 film)\|''The Longest Yard'']], ''[[Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby]]'', and ''[[Blades of Glory]]''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book\|last=Williams, Eric R.\|title=Screen adaptation : beyond the basics : techniques for adapting books, comics, and real-life stories into screenplays\|others=Ayres, Tyler.\|isbn=978-1-315-66941-0\|location=New York\|oclc=986993829}}</ref>

	=== Sports drama ===		=== Sports drama ===
	{{See also\|Drama (film and television)}}		{{See also\|Drama (film and television)}}

	In the sports genre~~, characters play sports~~. ~~Thematically~~, ~~the story is often one of “Our Team” versus “Their Team”; one team will always try to win, and another team will show the world that they deserve recognition~~ or ~~redemption, though the story does not always have to involve~~ a team. ~~The story could also~~ be ~~about an individual athlete~~ or ~~the story could focus on an individual playing~~ on a ~~team~~.<ref>{{Cite ~~journal~~\|~~last~~=~~Firestein~~\|~~first~~=~~David J~~.\|date=~~2007\|title=Fields of Dreams: American Sports Movies~~\|~~journal~~=~~E Journal USA~~\|~~volume~~=12}}</ref> Examples of this genre/type include: ''[[Body and Soul (1947 film)\|Body and Soul]]'' (1947), ''[[~~The Hustler (film)\|~~The Hustler]]'' (1961), ''[[Rocky]]'' (1976), ''[[Hoosiers (film)\|Hoosiers]]'' (1986), ''[[Remember the Titans]]'' (2000), ''[[Moneyball (film)\|Moneyball]]'' (2011), ''[[Ford v Ferrari]]'' (2019) and the ''[[Goal! (film series)\|Goal!]]'' trilogy.		Sports drama combines the sports film genre with drama film elements. These films rely on conflict, usually revolving around an athlete or a team. These dramas can further be broken up into categories, some movies focusing on race such as ''[[42 (film)\|42]]'' (2013), or focusing on a specific moment in history like ''[[I, Tonya]]'' (2018).<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Subgenre - Sports Drama \|url=https://www.allmovie.com/subgenre/sports-drama-d965 \|access-date=2022-11-02 \|website=AllMovie \|language=en}}</ref> Examples of this overall genre/type include: ''[[Body and Soul (1947 film)\|Body and Soul]]'' (1947), ''[[The Hustler]]'' (1961), ''[[Rocky]]'' (1976), ''[[Hoosiers (film)\|Hoosiers]]'' (1986), ''[[Remember the Titans]]'' (2000), [[Lagaan]] (2001), ''[[Moneyball (film)\|Moneyball]]'' (2011), ''[[Ford v Ferrari]]'' (2019), ''[[Ferrari (2023 film)\|Ferrari]]'' (2023) and the ''[[Goal! (film series)\|Goal!]]'' trilogy.

			== Award-winning films ==
			There have been numerous sports movies that have become award winning phenomena. Several films have been nominated for and won the highest award of [[Academy Award for Best Picture\|Best Picture]] at the [[Academy Awards]], including ''[[Chariots of Fire]]'' (1981), ''[[Rocky]]'' (1976), and ''[[Million Dollar Baby]]'' (2004).<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Mangubat \|first=Lio \|date=January 14, 2020 \|title=The Spin List: These are the sports movies that have won Best Picture at the Oscars \|url=https://www.spin.ph/life/guide/these-are-the-sports-movies-that-have-won-best-picture-at-the-oscars-a1017-20200114 \|website=The Spin}}</ref> Other movies that received awards of a high caliber are ''[[Jerry Maguire]]'' (Best Supporting Actor, 1996), ''[[Bull Durham]]'' (Best Original Screenplay, 1988), and ''[[The Karate Kid]]'' (Best Supporting Actor, 1984).<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Conti • • \|first=Kristen \|title=Oscar-Worthy Sports Films Throughout History \|url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/sports/oscar-worthy-sports-films-throughout-history/3009912/ \|access-date=2022-11-02 \|website=NBC4 Washington \|date=27 March 2022 \|language=en-US}}</ref>

	==List of sports films==		==List of sports films==
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	{{commons category\|Sports films}}		{{commons category\|Sports films}}
	{{Reflist}}		{{Reflist}}

			==Sources==
	*Friedman, Lester D. (2020) ''Sports Movies'' Rutgers University Press ISBN 9780813599885		*Friedman, Lester D. (2020) ''Sports Movies'' Rutgers University Press ISBN 9780813599885
	*(fr) Julien Camy and Gérard Camy, ed. Du Bailli de Suffren (2016) ''Sport&Cinéma'' (1200 films, 60 sports, 80 interviews)		*(fr) Julien Camy and Gérard Camy, ed. Du Bailli de Suffren (2016) ''Sport&Cinéma'' (1200 films, 60 sports, 80 interviews)
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	[[Category:Sports films\| ]]		[[Category:Sports films\| ]]
	[[Category:Film genres]]		[[Category:Film genres]]


	~~{{film-genre-stub}}~~

UpdateBot: robot: Update article (please report if you notice any mistake or error in this edit)

2022-06-30T23:58:42Z

robot: Update article (please report if you notice any mistake or error in this edit)

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:28, 1 July 2022
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	{{Expand French\|Sport et cinéma\|date=March 2015		{{Expand French\|Sport et cinéma\|date=March 2015
	}}		}}
	[[File:~~Doubletime poster~~.~~jpg~~\|thumb\|~~Poster for the film ''Doubletime" about jumping rope.~~]]		[[File:Sportsfilm.png\|thumb\|]]
	A '''sports film''' is a [[film genre]] that uses [[sport]] as the [[theme (arts)\|theme]] of the [[film]]. It is a production in which a sport, sporting event, athlete (and their sport), or follower of sport (and the sport they follow) are prominently featured, and which depend on sport to a significant degree for their plot motivation or resolution. Despite this, sport is ultimately rarely the central concern of such films and sport performs primarily an allegorical role.<ref>{{Cite book\|title=Sport and Film\|last=Crosson\|first=Seán\|publisher=Routledge\|year=2013\|isbn=9780415569934\|location=Abingdon, Oxon\|pages=60}}</ref> Furthermore, [[Fan (person)#Sports\|sports fan]]s are not necessarily the target demographic in such movies, but sports fans tend to have a large following or respect for such movies.		A '''sports film''' is a [[film genre]] that uses [[sport]] as the [[theme (arts)\|theme]] of the [[film]]. It is a production in which a sport, sporting event, athlete (and their sport), or follower of sport (and the sport they follow) are prominently featured, and which depend on sport to a significant degree for their plot motivation or resolution. Despite this, sport is ultimately rarely the central concern of such films and sport performs primarily an allegorical role.<ref>{{Cite book\|title=Sport and Film\|last=Crosson\|first=Seán\|publisher=Routledge\|year=2013\|url=https://www.academia.edu/27935619/The_Sports_Film_Genre\|isbn=9780415569934\|location=Abingdon, Oxon\|pages=60}}</ref> Furthermore, [[Fan (person)#Sports\|sports fan]]s are not necessarily the target demographic in such movies, but sports fans tend to have a large following or respect for such movies.

	Screenwriter and scholar [[Eric R. Williams]] identifies sports films as one of eleven "super-genres" in his screenwriters' taxonomy, claiming that all feature-length narrative films can be classified by these super-genres. The other ten genres he defines as "super-genres" are [[Action film\|action]], [[Crime film\|crime]], [[Fantasy film\|fantasy]], [[Horror film\|horror]], [[Romance film\|romance]], [[Science fiction film\|science fiction]], [[slice of life]], [[Thriller film\|thriller]], [[War film\|war]] and [[Western film\|Western]].<ref>{{Cite book\|last=Williams, Eric R.\|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/993983488\|title=The screenwriters taxonomy : a roadmap to collaborative storytelling\|publisher=Routledge Studies in Media Theory and Practice\|year=2017\|isbn=978-1-315-10864-3\|location=New York, NY\|oclc=993983488}}</ref>

	==Subgenres==		==Subgenres==
			[[File:Doubletime poster.jpg\|thumb\|Poster for the film ''Doubletime'' about jumping rope.]]
	Several sub-categories of sports films can be identified, although the delineations between these subgenres, much as in live action, are somewhat fluid.		Several sub-categories of sports films can be identified, although the delineations between these subgenres, much as in live action, are somewhat fluid.

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	Sports films tend to feature a more richly developed sport world, and may also be more player-oriented or thematically complex. Often, they feature a hero of adventure origins and a clear distinction between loss and victory set against each other in a play time struggle.		Sports films tend to feature a more richly developed sport world, and may also be more player-oriented or thematically complex. Often, they feature a hero of adventure origins and a clear distinction between loss and victory set against each other in a play time struggle.

			=== Sports comedy ===
			Sports comedy combines the sports film genre with [[comedy film]] elements. Thematically, the story is often one of "Our Team" versus "Their Team"; their team will always try to win, and our team will show the world that they deserve recognition or redemption; the story does not always have to involve a team. Examples and staples of the genre include [[The Waterboy]], [[The Longest Yard (2005 film)]], [[Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby]], and [[Blades of Glory]]. <ref name=":1">{{Cite book\|last=Williams, Eric R.\|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/986993829\|title=Screen adaptation : beyond the basics : techniques for adapting books, comics, and real-life stories into screenplays\|others=Ayres, Tyler.\|isbn=978-1-315-66941-0\|location=New York\|oclc=986993829}}</ref>

	=== Sports drama ===		=== Sports drama ===
	{{See also\|Drama (film and television)}}		{{See also\|Drama (film and television)}}

	In the sports genre, characters play sports. Thematically, the story is often one of “Our Team” versus “Their Team”; one team will always try to win, and another team will show the world that they deserve recognition or redemption, though the story does not always have to involve a team. The story could also be about an individual athlete or the story could focus on an individual playing on a team.<ref>{{Cite journal\|last=Firestein\|first=David J.\|date=2007\|title=Fields of Dreams: American Sports Movies\|journal=E ~~journal~~ USA\|volume=12}}</ref> Examples of this genre/type include: ''[[Body and Soul (1947 film)\|Body and Soul]]'' (1947), ''[[The Hustler (film)\|The Hustler]]'' (1961), ''[[Rocky]]'' (1976), ''[[Hoosiers (film)\|Hoosiers]]'' (1986), ''[[Remember the Titans]]'' (2000), ''[[Moneyball (film)\|Moneyball]]'' (2011), ~~and~~ ''[[Ford v Ferrari]]'' (2019) and the ''[[Goal! (film series)\|Goal!]]'' trilogy.		In the sports genre, characters play sports. Thematically, the story is often one of “Our Team” versus “Their Team”; one team will always try to win, and another team will show the world that they deserve recognition or redemption, though the story does not always have to involve a team. The story could also be about an individual athlete or the story could focus on an individual playing on a team.<ref>{{Cite journal\|last=Firestein\|first=David J.\|date=2007\|title=Fields of Dreams: American Sports Movies\|journal=E Journal USA\|volume=12}}</ref> Examples of this genre/type include: ''[[Body and Soul (1947 film)\|Body and Soul]]'' (1947), ''[[The Hustler (film)\|The Hustler]]'' (1961), ''[[Rocky]]'' (1976), ''[[Hoosiers (film)\|Hoosiers]]'' (1986), ''[[Remember the Titans]]'' (2000), ''[[Moneyball (film)\|Moneyball]]'' (2011), ''[[Ford v Ferrari]]'' (2019) and the ''[[Goal! (film series)\|Goal!]]'' trilogy.

	==List of sports films==		==List of sports films==
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	{{commons category\|Sports films}}		{{commons category\|Sports films}}
	{{Reflist}}		{{Reflist}}
	*(fr) Julien Camy and Gérard Camy, ''Sport&Cinéma''~~, ed. Du Bailli de Suffren, 2016,~~ (1200 films, 60 sports, 80 interviews)		*Friedman, Lester D. (2020) ''Sports Movies'' Rutgers University Press ISBN 9780813599885
			*(fr) Julien Camy and Gérard Camy, ed. Du Bailli de Suffren (2016) ''Sport&Cinéma'' (1200 films, 60 sports, 80 interviews)
			*Edgington, Erskine, Welsh (2010) ''Encyclopedia of Sports Films'' Scarecrow Press ISBN 9780810876538
			*Allen & Hershenson (1996) ''Sports Movie Posters'' ISBN 9781887893152

	{{Sports films\|state=expand}}		{{Sports films\|state=expand}}

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2021-08-11T19:54:39Z

Created page with "{{short description|Film genre}} {{Expand French|Sport et cinéma|date=March 2015 }} thumb|Poster for the film ''Doubletime" about jumping rope...."

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{{short description|Film genre}}
{{Expand French|Sport et cinéma|date=March 2015
}}
[[File:Doubletime poster.jpg|thumb|Poster for the film ''Doubletime" about jumping rope.]]
A '''sports film''' is a [[film genre]] that uses [[sport]] as the [[theme (arts)|theme]] of the [[film]]. It is a production in which a sport, sporting event, athlete (and their sport), or follower of sport (and the sport they follow) are prominently featured, and which depend on sport to a significant degree for their plot motivation or resolution. Despite this, sport is ultimately rarely the central concern of such films and sport performs primarily an allegorical role.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sport and Film|last=Crosson|first=Seán|publisher=Routledge|year=2013|isbn=9780415569934|location=Abingdon, Oxon|pages=60}}</ref> Furthermore, [[Fan (person)#Sports|sports fan]]s are not necessarily the target demographic in such movies, but sports fans tend to have a large following or respect for such movies.

Screenwriter and scholar [[Eric R. Williams]] identifies sports films as one of eleven "super-genres" in his screenwriters' taxonomy, claiming that all feature-length narrative films can be classified by these super-genres. The other ten genres he defines as "super-genres" are [[Action film|action]], [[Crime film|crime]], [[Fantasy film|fantasy]], [[Horror film|horror]], [[Romance film|romance]], [[Science fiction film|science fiction]], [[slice of life]], [[Thriller film|thriller]], [[War film|war]] and [[Western film|Western]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Williams, Eric R.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/993983488|title=The screenwriters taxonomy : a roadmap to collaborative storytelling|publisher=Routledge Studies in Media Theory and Practice|year=2017|isbn=978-1-315-10864-3|location=New York, NY|oclc=993983488}}</ref>

==Subgenres==
Several sub-categories of sports films can be identified, although the delineations between these subgenres, much as in live action, are somewhat fluid.

The most common sports subgenres depicted in movies are sports drama and sports comedy. Both categories typically employ playground settings, match, game creatures and other elements commonly associated with biological stories.

Sports films tend to feature a more richly developed sport world, and may also be more player-oriented or thematically complex. Often, they feature a hero of adventure origins and a clear distinction between loss and victory set against each other in a play time struggle.

=== Sports drama ===
{{See also|Drama (film and television)}}

In the sports genre, characters play sports. Thematically, the story is often one of “Our Team” versus “Their Team”; one team will always try to win, and another team will show the world that they deserve recognition or redemption, though the story does not always have to involve a team. The story could also be about an individual athlete or the story could focus on an individual playing on a team.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Firestein|first=David J.|date=2007|title=Fields of Dreams: American Sports Movies|journal=E journal USA|volume=12}}</ref> Examples of this genre/type include: ''[[Body and Soul (1947 film)|Body and Soul]]'' (1947), ''[[The Hustler (film)|The Hustler]]'' (1961), ''[[Rocky]]'' (1976), ''[[Hoosiers (film)|Hoosiers]]'' (1986), ''[[Remember the Titans]]'' (2000), ''[[Moneyball (film)|Moneyball]]'' (2011), and ''[[Ford v Ferrari]]'' (2019) and the ''[[Goal! (film series)|Goal!]]'' trilogy.

==List of sports films==
{{Main|List of sports films}}

==Highest-grossing sports films==
{{Main|List of highest-grossing sports films}}

==References==
{{commons category|Sports films}}
{{Reflist}}
*(fr) Julien Camy and Gérard Camy, ''Sport&Cinéma'', ed. Du Bailli de Suffren, 2016, (1200 films, 60 sports, 80 interviews)

{{Sports films|state=expand}}
{{Film genres}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sports films| ]]
[[Category:Film genres]]

{{film-genre-stub}}