As the quote says, “You can endlessly look at three things: How fire burns, how water flows, and how another person works.” To these three components one more should be added. You can endlessly enjoy watching an athlete run. This is a magnificent sight, since overcoming space with the help of muscles is truly mesmerizing. Runners’ performances can be seen at many competitions, but they look much more impressive in quality films.
Talent, hard work, fortitude, the will to win – all this and more in the five inspiring pictures listed below.
Saint Ralph (Canada, 2004)
The action takes place in the 1950s. The main character is a fourteen-year-old boy, Ralph. From childhood, he had to experience the hardships of life: the teenager’s father died during World War II, and his mother fell into a coma after a terrible illness. The child was placed in an orphanage at the Catholic Church. He does not have good relationships either with his peers or with teachers. The only teacher who was able to discern Ralph’s extraordinary abilities was Father Hibbert.
He believed in the promising teenager and offered to take part in the Boston Marathon, the cash prize for winning which the boy could use for his mother’s treatment. Difficult and persistent training begins. Despite the dramatic plot, there is a lot of humor in the film, but it looks easy. Ralph’s faith in the miracle of saving his mother helps him perform a miracle. The film has won a number of international awards.
Kipchoge: The Last Milestone (USA, 2021)
The documentary will talk about the legendary Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge. He became the first person to complete a marathon in under two hours. During his race in Vienna, he achieved a result of 1 hour 59 minutes and 40.2 seconds. The athlete set himself the goal of inspiring people to new records and proving that there are no limits to human will.
This film follows the development of Kipchoge’s sports career. How he began his journey into big-time sports with group classes in Kenya. How I performed at the first competitions. How I set personal records. And as a result, he set a historical record.
Prefontaine (USA, 1997)
The name of Steve Prefontaine, a great athlete who has no equal in running competitions, thundered in world sports in the 1960s and 70s. They haven’t forgotten about him even now. Prefontaine gained a reputation as one of the aggressive long-distance runners, setting a high pace for his opponents from the first minutes of the race, which he maintained until the end.
His fate was dramatic. At the 1972 Munich Olympics, he and his US teammates witness a terrorist attack that leaves the athlete psychologically damaged. During the 5000-meter race, he passes all the other runners shortly before the finish line, but does not receive a medal, since three athletes managed to get ahead of him.
Prefontaine wanted to participate in the Montreal Olympics in 1976, but difficult circumstances forced him to leave the sport and work in a bar. On May 30, 1975, his life came to an untimely end. It is no coincidence that Prefontaine is called the most tragic greatest star in world athletics. In the film, Jared Leto played the leading role of an outstanding athlete.
Desert Runners (USA, 2013)
Every year, the Des Sables ultramarathon race starts in the Sahara Desert in Morocco. The documentary tells about brave non-professional athletes who decided to run long distances in the conditions of 4 deserts. Not every marathon runner manages to reach the finish line, covering 250 km in 6-7 days in such extreme conditions. You can feel the complexity of the competition and the willpower of the athletes in this film.
Marathon (Netherlands, 2012)
For those who want to watch a cheerful comedy about non-professionals who decide to make extra money through sports, this film is offered. Four workers at a Dutch auto repair shop, struggling to make ends meet, decide to deal with their debts in an original way: by participating in the Rotterdam Marathon. The adventures of middle-aged and far from athletic men who entered competitions are full of funny situations.
